Palmer
Boy name · #993 in 2025 · Uniqueness 50/100
Palmer is currently the #993 boy name in the United States — 230 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1297, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,826 boys born in 2025 was named Palmer.
The 145-year story
Palmer first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 240 babies and a rank of #940. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Palmer per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Palmer against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Palmer in class?
Palmer scores 50 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Palmer is most common
Geography matters for names, and Palmer is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Palmers were FL (19), TX (19), OH (14), CA (13), NC (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Palmer
Statistically, parents drawn to Palmer tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Foster, Casper, Kooper, Ameer, and Abner.
FosterCasperKooperAmeerAbnerSlaterAdlerFisher
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Palmer | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 230 | #991 |
| 2024 | 202 | #1076 |
| 2023 | 240 | #940 |
| 2022 | 200 | #1090 |
| 2021 | 222 | #987 |
| 2020 | 163 | #1177 |
| 2019 | 165 | #1171 |
| 2018 | 172 | #1122 |
| 2017 | 179 | #1090 |
| 2016 | 133 | #1339 |
| 2015 | 137 | #1297 |
| 2014 | 112 | #1456 |
| 2013 | 114 | #1444 |
| 2012 | 114 | #1448 |
| 2011 | 94 | #1620 |
| 2010 | 83 | #1778 |
| 2009 | 94 | #1665 |
| 2008 | 84 | #1775 |
| 2007 | 109 | #1464 |
| 2006 | 98 | #1526 |
| 2005 | 80 | #1674 |
| 2004 | 86 | #1542 |
| 2003 | 72 | #1702 |
| 2002 | 54 | #2019 |
| 2001 | 58 | #1893 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Palmer a popular boy name?
Palmer ranked #993 among boys in 2025 with 230 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1297.
When was the name Palmer most popular?
Palmer peaked in 2023, when 240 American boys received the name (ranked #940 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Palmer?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,826 newborn American boys was named Palmer. It scores 50/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.