Unisex name · Old French
Palmer
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: pilgrimPalmer is a gender-neutral name that comes from Old French and means "pilgrim". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Pilgrim
- Origin
- Old French
- Gender
- Unisex
- US rank
- #232 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Palmer
As a gender-neutral name, Palmer comes from Old French and means "pilgrim". It is used in English.
Palmer is also a surname: the 176th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 151,165 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Palmer on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Palmer on 1 list.
“Pilgrim; Old French, for one who carried a palm leaf home”
From Gender neutral names, gender-neutral surname names
How popular is Palmer?
In 2025, 1,330 girls and 230 boys in the US were named Palmer.
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #232
- 1,330 babies, 827 per million girls
- Best rank
- #232 in 2025
- 1,330 babies that year
- Babies since 1908
- At least 9,389
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 2 per million |
| 1910s | 6 per million |
| 1920s | 5 per million |
| 1930s | 2 per million |
| 1940s | 2 per million |
| 1950s | 2 per million |
| 1960s | 2 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 1 per million |
| 1990s | 3 per million |
| 2000s | 7 per million |
| 2010s | 131 per million |
| 2020s | 683 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,080 | #1,044 | #675 | #461 | #348 | #330 | #295 | #277 | #258 | #232 |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #995
- 230 babies, 135 per million boys
- Best rank
- #386 in 1908
- Most babies: 240 in 2023
- Babies since 1880
- At least 9,264
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 88 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 124 per million |
| 1900s | 167 per million |
| 1910s | 153 per million |
| 1920s | 118 per million |
| 1930s | 77 per million |
| 1940s | 42 per million |
| 1950s | 22 per million |
| 1960s | 16 per million |
| 1970s | 11 per million |
| 1980s | 14 per million |
| 1990s | 25 per million |
| 2000s | 40 per million |
| 2010s | 69 per million |
| 2020s | 121 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,345 | #1,094 | #1,125 | #1,176 | #1,188 | #989 | #1,091 | #945 | #1,079 | #995 |
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.
Names spelled like Palmer
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- PalmiraPalm (Latin, girl)
- PalmiroPalm (Latin, boy)
- ParkerPark keeper (Old French, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- DeòiridhPilgrim (Scottish Gaelic, girl)
- PeregrineTraveler, pilgrim (Latin, boy)
Middle names for Palmer
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More names from Old French
- BellamyBeautiful friend (Old French, unisex)
- BlancheWhite, fair (Old French, girl)
- EsméEsteemed, loved (Old French, girl)
- GrantGreat, large (Old French, boy)
- LyleIsland (Old French, boy)
- WallaceForeigner, Welshman (Old French, boy)
- AlgernonHaving a mustache (Old French, boy)
- AmyBeloved (Old French, girl)
- ArcherBowman (Old French, boy)
- BaileySteward, bailiff (Old French, unisex)
- CorbinRaven (Old French, boy)
- CurtisCourteous (Old French, boy)
- DarrellFrom Airelle, a place in Normandy (Old French, boy)
- DouceSweet (Old French, girl)
- EleanorReportedly from Latin alia Aenor, the other Aenor (Old French, girl)
- ElliePet form of Eleanor, Ellen, Elizabeth and other El- names (Old French, girl)
- EsmeeEsteemed, loved (Old French, girl)
- FletcherArrow maker (Old French, boy)
Palmer: common questions
What does the name Palmer mean?
Palmer comes from Old French and means "pilgrim".
Is Palmer a boy or girl name?
Palmer is used for both boys and girls. In 2025, 1,330 girls and 230 boys in the US were named Palmer, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Palmer come from?
Palmer comes from Old French and means "pilgrim". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Palmer?
Palmer ranked #232 in the US in 2025, with 1,330 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Palmer?
Names spelled like Palmer include Palmira, Palmiro and Parker.
What middle names go with Palmer?
Middle names that flow well with Palmer include Dale, David, Hazel, Lee and Louis. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.