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Holmes as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Holmes

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The baby name Holmes is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /hoʊmz/ (rhymes with 'homes').

Holmes is English in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: /hoʊmz/ (rhymes with 'homes')

What is the meaning of the name Holmes ?

The baby name Holmes is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /hoʊmz/ (rhymes with 'homes').

Holmes is English in Origin.

Holmes is an English surname-turned-given name rooted in the Old Norse holmr, absorbed into Middle English as holm/holme, meaning "islet," "river meadow," or raised ground in marshland - hence "dweller by the holm." In some dialects holm also denoted a holly tree, yielding a secondary sense of "one who lived by the holly." The -s ending is a genitive or habitational marker, “of the holm.”

As a first name, Holmes appears sporadically in Britain and North America from the 18th century, often honoring a family surname or public figures, and today fits the modern surname-as-given trend. Cultural recognition is strong thanks to Sherlock Holmes and jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes (Sr. and Jr.). Variants and cognates include Holm, Holme, Holms, Hulme, and the related Scottish forms Home and Hume; Scandinavian Holm is closely allied. Predominantly masculine, it is occasionally used unisex.

Holmes has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Holmes

Holmes Osborne Actor · Born 1947 · United States Holmes Osborne is an American character actor best known for films like Donnie Darko, That Thing You Do!, and Southland Tales. Born on November 7, 1947, he has built a long career in both film and television.

Holmes – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
ID Boys 0 #134 2 4,130
MO Boys 0 #230 5 5,842
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
TW Boys 0 #253 4 7,111
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
CN Boys 0 #328 4 9,639
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
HK 0 #356 2 8,483
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
GH Boys 0 #361 1 8,138
PT Boys 0 #381 1 7,951
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
UY Boys 0 #410 4 5,922
SD Boys 0 #464 3 10,523
CO 0 #469 12 7,768
CO Boys 0 #491 564 15,656
PA Boys 0 #500 6 9,305
HK Boys 0 #518 10 12,905
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
KW Girls 0 #560 2 19,177
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
CM Boys 0 #575 1 12,054
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
CL Boys 0 #697 4 13,390
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
BR Boys 0 #780 6 12,213
TN 0 #864 2 13,765
United States Boys 2024 #887 6 7,044
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
PE Boys 0 #921 6 14,506
EG Boys 0 #922 4 15,035
BR Girls 0 #991 2 12,708
NG Boys 0 #997 5 16,906
SA Girls 0 #1,014 1 25,931
MX Boys 0 #1,032 2 16,355
MY Boys 0 #1,099 13 25,439
CO Girls 0 #1,147 6 16,140
MA 0 #1,196 4 20,986
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
ZA Boys 0 #1,268 5 25,619
SA Boys 0 #1,691 1 28,008

Holmes is popular in 37 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
BO
BR
CL
CM

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People also ask about Holmes

Holmes is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Holmes is a one syllable name, pronounced /hoʊmz/ (rhymes with 'homes').
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Holm and Holme.
Across languages, Holmes has these equivalents: Holm (Scandinavian cognate), Holme (English variant), Isla (different name with the same 'island' meaning).
Somewhat — Holmes ranked #887 in United States in 2024, placing it just outside the most common names.
Yes — 1 notable people named Holmes are in our database, including Holmes Osborne (Actor).