Total births
5,404
Boys' name · since 1881
Meyer
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 5,404 babies named Meyer, peaking in 1917. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1795
- among boys today
- 5,404
- born since 1881
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Meyer is the #1795 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 5,404 recorded since 1881.
Meyer has 5,404 recorded births among boys since 1881, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1795 as of the latest data, more common than 87% of boys, busiest in the 1910s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #1795 among boys today
- 5,404 born since 1881
- 1910s peak decade
- 87% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Meyer is currently the #1795 boys' name in America, more common than 87% of boys - 5,404 born since 1881, peaking in the 1910s.
- #1795
- among boys today
- 5,404
- born since 1881
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Meyer vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1795
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 87% of names given to boys today.
1910s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Meyer was born in this single decade.
1917
Single peak year
214 babies were named Meyer in 1917 - its busiest year on record.
How Meyer compares
5,404 Top 12% higher than 88% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Meyer's all-time total is 15x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Meyer | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,404 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 214 | 23 | 22,252 |
Meyer's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Meyer's SSA record in two at 1954 and the more recent half accounts for 37% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 63%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1882, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1917 peak of 214, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Meyer at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1917
Current rank
#1,795
Active since
1881
Meyer popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1917)
- 214
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Meyer popularity over time - girls
208 total births recorded since 2012 (Meyer as girls' name)
Meyer by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Meyer's strongest decade.
1,593 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Meyer births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 42
1880s
42 births
- 1890s 90
1890s
90 births
- 1900s 252
1900s
252 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,593 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,033 births
- 1930s 197
1930s
197 births
- 1940s 138
1940s
138 births
- 1950s 150
1950s
150 births
- 1960s 89
1960s
89 births
- 1970s 127
1970s
127 births
- 1980s 103
1980s
103 births
- 1990s 164
1990s
164 births
- 2000s 274
2000s
274 births
- 2010s 596
2010s
596 births
- 2020s 556
2020s
556 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 1,593 births (29% of all-time use).
How Meyer compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Meyer's total volume
Meyer vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Meyer by state
Where Meyer concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 2,152 | 39.8% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 281 | 5.2% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 234 | 4.3% |
| #4 | New Jersey | | 195 | 3.6% |
| #5 | California | | 93 | 1.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 61 | 1.1% |
| #7 | Texas | | 47 | 0.9% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 45 | 0.8% |
New York share of Meyer's total US births 39.8%
Even split
2,152 of 5,404 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Meyer appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Meyer? ▼
5,404 babies have been named Meyer since 1881. It currently ranks #1795 among boys. The peak year was 1917 with 214 births.
When was Meyer most popular? ▼
Meyer was most popular in the 1910s decade with 1,593 total births. The single peak year was 1917.
Where is Meyer most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Meyer are New York (2,152 births), Pennsylvania (281 births), Illinois (234 births).
How long has the name Meyer been used? ▼
Meyer has been recorded in Social Security data since 1881, spanning 145 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Meyer? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Meyers, Meyson, Meylan. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Meyer's data
- Meyer's usage has stayed within range of its 1910s decade-level peak (1,593 total births) through the 2020s (556) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Meyers (2,152 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Meyer
Nearby Names Like Meyer
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Meyer
Compare Meyer side by side: Meyer vs Meyers Meyer vs Meyson Meyer vs Meylan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Meyer
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Meyer: #1795 Boys' Name - 5,404 Births, Peak 1917." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/meyer. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Meyer draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.