Boy name · Old English
Hunter
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: one who huntsHunter is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "one who hunts". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- One who hunts
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #130 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Hunter
As a boy's name, Hunter comes from Old English and means "one who hunts". It is used in English.
Hunter is also a surname: the 168th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 155,740 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Hunter on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Hunter on 5 lists.
“An old trade name for a huntsman”
From Redneck names for boys, outdoorsy country boy names
“A natural fit for hounds and retrievers”
From Boy dog names, strong male dog names
“One who hunts; English. Outdoorsy and bold”
From Boy middle names, strong boy middle names
“Occupational name for a huntsman, often for a lord”
From Cool last names, cool last names
“A huntsman, often in the king's forests”
From Scottish last names, scottish surnames from trades and the church
How popular is Hunter?
- US rank in 2025
- #130
- 2,761 babies, 1,616 per million boys
- Best rank
- #35 in 2000
- 12,538 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 262,238
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 77 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 89 per million |
| 1900s | 92 per million |
| 1910s | 63 per million |
| 1920s | 52 per million |
| 1930s | 37 per million |
| 1940s | 32 per million |
| 1950s | 28 per million |
| 1960s | 40 per million |
| 1970s | 74 per million |
| 1980s | 318 per million |
| 1990s | 3,107 per million |
| 2000s | 4,752 per million |
| 2010s | 3,984 per million |
| 2020s | 2,059 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #45 | #53 | #56 | #66 | #68 | #86 | #101 | #115 | #128 | #130 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Middle names for Hunter
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
Hunter: common questions
What does the name Hunter mean?
Hunter comes from Old English and means "one who hunts".
Is Hunter a boy or girl name?
Hunter is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 323 girls and 2,761 boys in the US were named Hunter, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Hunter come from?
Hunter comes from Old English and means "one who hunts". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Hunter?
Hunter ranked #130 in the US in 2025, with 2,761 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Hunter?
Middle names that flow well with Hunter include Beau, Cedar, Chase, James and Lane. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.