Palmer Unisex

Popularity: #222 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PAL-mer //ˈpɑːlmər//

Origin: English; Old French

Meaning: English: 'one who is a palmer'; Old French: 'pilgrim'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Palmer has its roots in the Old French word "palmer," which derives from the Latin "palma," meaning "palm tree." This etymology reflects the historical significance of palm branches as symbols of victory and peace, often associated with pilgrims who traveled to the Holy Land and returned with palm fronds as tokens of their journey. The name entered the English language during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when it was adopted as a surname for those who had made such pilgrimages, particularly to Jerusalem.

Historically, the name Palmer has been associated with various notable figures and events. In medieval England, it became a common surname for individuals who had undertaken a pilgrimage, especially to the Holy Land, and it was often used in literature and folklore.

The name appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," written in the late 14th century, where it is used to describe characters embarking on a pilgrimage. This literary reference helped to cement the name's association with travel and spiritual journeys.

Culturally, Palmer carries connotations of devotion and exploration, reflecting the historical significance of pilgrimage in medieval society. The name has been used in various forms across different cultures, with diminutive or related forms such as "Palma" being found in other languages.

The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its rich historical context and the symbolic meanings associated with the palm tree, which has long been a symbol of triumph and peace in various cultures. Thus, Palmer not only serves as a personal name but also encapsulates a broader narrative of faith, journey, and cultural significance.

Famous people named Palmer

In this section, you will find notable people named Palmer. 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 Palmer who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Palmer 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.

Palmer Luckey is an entrepreneur best known for founding Oculus VR and developing the Oculus Rift.

Palmer J. Holt is a notable figure in the field of education, recognized for his contributions to educational reform.

Fictional characters named Palmer

The following list of fictional characters named Palmer 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.

Palmer is a fictional character from the film The Thing. He is a member of the Antarctic research team who becomes one of the infected by an alien organism.

Sibling suggestions

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

ParkerHarperTaylorSkylarJordanRiley

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Palmer. 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.

PaigePiperPennyPoppyPaulaPhoebePeyton

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Palmer was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Palmer has ranked as high as #436 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Palmer has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Palmer 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 Palmer 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 Palmer.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,560 230 1,330
2024 1,426 202 1,224
2023 1,373 240 1,133
2022 1,275 200 1,075
2021 1,218 222 996
2020 1,051 163 888
2019 840 165 675
2018 605 172 433
2017 426 179 247
2016 374 133 241
2015 314 137 177
2014 285 112 173
2013 246 114 132
2012 252 114 138
2011 161 94 67
2010 96 83 13
2009 111 94 17
2008 104 84 20
2007 133 109 24
2006 112 98 14
2005 90 80 10
2004 97 86 11
2003 82 72 10
2002 61 54 7
2001 66 58 8
2000 72 65 7
1999 71 66 5
1998 94 82 12
1997 61 56 5
1996 53 44 9
1995 43 36 7
1994 59 51 8
1993 46 39 7
1992 39 31 8
1991 36 36 0
1990 48 48 0
1989 41 36 5
1988 27 27 0
1987 19 19 0
1986 44 36 8
1985 25 25 0
1984 24 24 0
1983 15 15 0
1982 20 20 0
1981 29 24 5
1980 27 27 0
1979 13 13 0
1978 11 11 0
1977 19 19 0
1976 19 19 0
1975 18 18 0
1974 14 14 0
1973 15 15 0
1972 23 23 0
1971 27 27 0
1970 30 30 0
1969 25 25 0
1968 31 24 7
1967 36 29 7
1966 28 28 0
1965 30 25 5
1964 45 38 7
1963 26 26 0
1962 41 41 0
1961 52 46 6
1960 39 33 6
1959 48 40 8
1958 38 38 0
1957 54 46 8
1956 55 49 6
1955 61 56 5
1954 38 33 5
1953 44 44 0
1952 48 48 0
1951 42 42 0
1950 52 39 13
1949 69 59 10
1948 60 54 6
1947 67 57 10
1946 50 50 0
1945 47 47 0
1944 71 66 5
1943 79 79 0
1942 74 74 0
1941 76 76 0
1940 68 68 0
1939 60 60 0
1938 59 59 0
1937 73 73 0
1936 83 83 0
1935 91 91 0
1934 69 69 0
1933 100 92 8
1932 96 89 7
1931 92 92 0
1930 106 101 5
1929 115 115 0
1928 105 105 0
1927 99 99 0
1926 128 119 9
1925 138 131 7
1924 133 126 7
1923 145 136 9
1922 166 160 6
1921 169 160 9
1920 151 144 7
1919 140 140 0
1918 180 173 7
1917 146 135 11
1916 141 136 5
1915 140 135 5
1914 81 81 0
1913 92 85 7
1912 77 72 5
1911 42 42 0
1910 30 25 5
1909 29 29 0
1908 44 37 7
1907 22 22 0
1906 27 27 0
1905 19 19 0
1904 19 19 0
1903 22 22 0
1902 11 11 0
1901 20 20 0
1900 21 21 0
1899 10 10 0
1898 16 16 0
1897 23 23 0
1896 12 12 0
1895 13 13 0
1894 18 18 0
1893 15 15 0
1892 10 10 0
1891 15 15 0
1890 10 10 0
1889 8 8 0
1888 16 16 0
1887 13 13 0
1886 12 12 0
1885 8 8 0
1884 6 6 0
1882 15 15 0
1881 8 8 0
1880 10 10 0

Top States for Palmer (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 127
9%
FL 96
7%
OH 82
6%
NC 78
6%
GA 70
5%
TN 68
5%
CA 53
4%
IN 52
4%
SC 47
3%
KY 47
3%
AL 42
3%
IL 40
3%
MI 39
3%
PA 38
3%
MO 34
3%
KS 29
2%
VA 28
2%
OK 28
2%
AZ 28
2%
CO 25
2%
MS 23
2%
WI 23
2%
NE 22
2%
IA 22
2%
MN 20
1%
WA 19
1%
SD 19
1%
UT 18
1%
MD 18
1%
MA 17
1%
NY 16
1%
OR 15
1%
LA 14
1%
ID 12
1%
AR 11
1%
NJ 10
1%
ND 9
1%
CT 9
1%