Kaufman as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kaufman

What is the meaning of the name Kaufman ?

The baby name Kaufman is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkaʊf.mən/ (KOWF-mən).

Kaufman is German in Origin.

Kaufman derives from the German occupational surname Kaufmann, literally “merchant” (from kaufen “to buy” + Mann “man”), with a parallel in Yiddish koyfman/koyfmann. The element Kauf traces to Middle High German kouf “purchase, trade.” The name appears across medieval German-speaking towns and, later, among Ashkenazic Jews who adopted fixed surnames under 18th–19th‑century imperial edicts; it tracked the rise of guilds, markets, and Hanseatic trade.

As a given name in the US and other English-speaking countries since the late 20th century, it fits the occupational-surname trend alongside Carter and Hunter. It remains rare but distinctive and broadly unisex, evoking industry, negotiation, and enterprise. Notable variants and spellings include Kaufmann, Kauffman, Kauffmann, Koffman, Coffman, Caughman, and Slavic/Yiddish transliterations such as Kofman, Koifman, and Koyfman. Usage skews masculine but works gender‑neutral. Core meaning: “merchant; trader” - a nod to commerce, pragmatism, and worldly savvy.

⚙ Kaufman is about as rare as a name gets. We count just 28 recorded uses of it worldwide, from 7 countries.