Homer
Greek Homeros, traditionally explained as “hostage” or “pledge”; the epic poet, adopted enthusiastically by nineteenth-century Americans.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Homer appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in 37 different years between 1880 and 1920. Its biggest year was 1920, when 1,722 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 100 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1893, at No. 64. All told, 61,279 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Homar (565) (total births since 1880)
Explore Homer interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,213 | No. 70 |
| 1890s | 2,637 | No. 64 |
| 1900s | 2,915 | No. 74 |
| 1910s | 11,471 | No. 95 |
| 1920s | 15,145 | No. 100 |
| 1930s | 9,413 | No. 144 |
| 1940s | 6,956 | No. 185 |
| 1950s | 4,606 | No. 288 |
| 1960s | 2,492 | No. 447 |
| 1970s | 1,308 | No. 601 |
| 1980s | 747 | No. 859 |
| 1990s | 363 | No. 1486 |
| 2000s | 207 | No. 2943 |
| 2010s | 256 | No. 3446 |
| 2020s | 183 | No. 3117 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.