Lamar Boy

Popularity: #823 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: luh-MAR /ləˈmɑːr/

Origin: French; Arabic

Meaning: French: 'the land'; Arabic: 'the one who is exalted'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Lamar has its roots in the Old French word "lamare," which means "the sea" or "the water." This term likely derived from the Latin "lamaris," which carries similar meanings related to bodies of water. The name entered the English language during the Middle Ages, influenced by the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French words and names were adopted into English vernacular.

As a result, Lamar can be seen as a name that reflects a connection to nature, particularly to water, which has historically held significant symbolic meaning in various cultures. Throughout history, the name Lamar has been associated with various notable figures.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name can be traced back to the 19th century in the United States, where it was used as a surname before becoming popular as a given name. The name gained prominence through figures such as the American politician Mirabeau B.

Lamar, who served as the second president of the Republic of Texas in the 1840s. His contributions to Texas history and governance helped to solidify the name's association with leadership and strength.

Culturally, Lamar has resonated within African American communities, where it has been embraced as a symbol of heritage and identity. The name has been used in various artistic expressions, including music and literature, which further contribute to its cultural significance.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Lami" have emerged in some contexts, showcasing the name's adaptability and personal connection among those who bear it. Overall, Lamar embodies a rich linguistic history and cultural depth, reflecting both natural elements and historical legacy.

Famous people named Lamar

In this section, you will find notable people named Lamar. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lamar who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Lamar who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Lamar Odom is a former professional basketball player best known for playing with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning two NBA championships, and being named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Lamar Jackson is a professional football player best known for being the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens and winning the NFL MVP award.

Fictional characters named Lamar

The following list of fictional characters named Lamar is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Lamar is a fictional character from the video game series Grand Theft Auto. He is a close friend of the protagonist Franklin Clinton and provides comic relief throughout the story.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lamar, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MalikLandonLeviLucaLiamLazaro

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lamar. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

LamarcusLazaroLanceLandonLorenzoLyleLiamLoren

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Lamar was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Lamar has ranked as high as #664 nationally, which occurred in 1989, and has been most popular in Georgia, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Lamar has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Lamar is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Lamar was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Lamar.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 134 115 19
2024 138 120 18
2023 155 136 19
2022 164 144 20
2021 166 148 18
2020 200 182 18
2019 221 194 27
2018 236 201 35
2017 286 234 52
2016 289 230 59
2015 337 277 60
2014 319 268 51
2013 376 327 49
2012 318 289 29
2011 353 315 38
2010 361 333 28
2009 324 293 31
2008 333 308 25
2007 356 339 17
2006 353 340 13
2005 303 303 0
2004 268 263 5
2003 238 238 0
2002 242 242 0
2001 288 288 0
2000 286 286 0
1999 256 256 0
1998 251 251 0
1997 323 323 0
1996 296 296 0
1995 306 306 0
1994 372 372 0
1993 405 405 0
1992 503 496 7
1991 550 550 0
1990 699 689 10
1989 748 737 11
1988 674 668 6
1987 624 613 11
1986 625 617 8
1985 545 535 10
1984 566 548 18
1983 616 600 16
1982 560 549 11
1981 592 586 6
1980 622 611 11
1979 583 573 10
1978 497 483 14
1977 532 516 16
1976 379 362 17
1975 338 322 16
1974 334 323 11
1973 355 346 9
1972 433 424 9
1971 400 388 12
1970 409 400 9
1969 330 314 16
1968 317 302 15
1967 271 262 9
1966 229 220 9
1965 249 239 10
1964 269 258 11
1963 234 224 10
1962 273 261 12
1961 275 259 16
1960 279 267 12
1959 279 272 7
1958 269 261 8
1957 290 279 11
1956 272 272 0
1955 292 282 10
1954 305 291 14
1953 283 273 10
1952 284 275 9
1951 293 283 10
1950 287 276 11
1949 276 267 9
1948 291 284 7
1947 286 277 9
1946 225 216 9
1945 198 198 0
1944 227 222 5
1943 249 241 8
1942 231 225 6
1941 218 218 0
1940 212 212 0
1939 217 210 7
1938 220 211 9
1937 225 220 5
1936 198 198 0
1935 216 216 0
1934 229 221 8
1933 244 244 0
1932 237 229 8
1931 222 216 6
1930 228 228 0
1929 224 216 8
1928 238 233 5
1927 229 224 5
1926 228 221 7
1925 245 237 8
1924 234 234 0
1923 215 209 6
1922 202 189 13
1921 179 179 0
1920 189 183 6
1919 163 163 0
1918 169 161 8
1917 169 163 6
1916 172 167 5
1915 132 125 7
1914 104 99 5
1913 83 78 5
1912 52 52 0
1911 34 29 5
1910 34 34 0
1909 20 20 0
1908 19 19 0
1907 31 31 0
1906 17 17 0
1905 15 15 0
1904 10 10 0
1903 6 6 0
1902 15 15 0
1901 14 14 0
1900 16 16 0
1899 12 12 0
1898 10 10 0
1897 15 15 0
1896 7 7 0
1895 10 10 0
1894 10 10 0
1893 10 10 0
1892 10 10 0
1891 5 5 0
1890 5 5 0
1888 7 7 0
1887 7 7 0
1885 14 14 0
1882 5 5 0

Top States for Lamar (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 13
22%
CA 9
16%
FL 9
16%
PA 8
14%
MI 7
12%
NY 7
12%
IL 5
9%