Lamar
Boy name · #1514 in 2025 · Very rare
Lamar is currently the #1514 boy name in the United States — 115 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #817, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,652 boys born in 2025 was named Lamar.
The 143-year story
Lamar first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1989, when 737 boys were named Lamar — good for #325 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Lamar per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lamar against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lamar in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lamar is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Lamar will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Lamar is most common
State-level data for Lamar is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Lamar
Statistically, parents drawn to Lamar tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jamar, Derick, Nestor, Brett, and Pierre.
JamarDerickNestorBrettPierreTerrellBryantRico
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lamar | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 115 | #1514 |
| 2024 | 120 | #1494 |
| 2023 | 136 | #1369 |
| 2022 | 144 | #1308 |
| 2021 | 148 | #1280 |
| 2020 | 182 | #1086 |
| 2019 | 194 | #1054 |
| 2018 | 201 | #1023 |
| 2017 | 234 | #910 |
| 2016 | 230 | #923 |
| 2015 | 277 | #817 |
| 2014 | 268 | #843 |
| 2013 | 327 | #717 |
| 2012 | 289 | #784 |
| 2011 | 315 | #722 |
| 2010 | 333 | #701 |
| 2009 | 293 | #777 |
| 2008 | 308 | #740 |
| 2007 | 339 | #695 |
| 2006 | 340 | #671 |
| 2005 | 303 | #686 |
| 2004 | 263 | #725 |
| 2003 | 238 | #752 |
| 2002 | 242 | #729 |
| 2001 | 288 | #648 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lamar a popular boy name?
Lamar ranked #1514 among boys in 2025 with 115 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #817.
When was the name Lamar most popular?
Lamar peaked in 1989, when 737 American boys received the name (ranked #325 that year). Since 1989 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lamar?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,652 newborn American boys was named Lamar. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.