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Mayer as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Mayer

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The baby name Mayer is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er).

Mayer is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er)

What is the meaning of the name Mayer ?

The baby name Mayer is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er).

Mayer is Hebrew in Origin.

Mayer blends Hebrew and German roots. As a Jewish given name, it corresponds to Meir (מֵאִיר), “one who illuminates” or “bringer of light,” and entered Yiddish as Meyer/Mayer. As a German surname and occasional first name, it comes from Middle High German meier, ultimately Latin maior “greater,” denoting a steward, bailiff, or farm administrator - a prominent medieval office. This dual etymology explains its presence across German-speaking lands and Ashkenazic communities.

Mayer appears both as a family name and a masculine given name; among notable bearers is financier Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744–1812). The name traveled widely through Central and Eastern Europe and later to the United States, where it also fits the modern surname-as-first-name trend. Common variants include Meyer, Meier, Maier, and Mayr; the Hebrew form is Meir, with Yiddish Meyer. The overall sense evokes leadership and light.

Mayer has the following similar or variant Names

Mayer – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
HN 0 #22 1 704
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
HU 0 #112 4 1,675
IQ 0 #133 1 3,533
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
HU Boys 0 #152 23 3,954
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
MT Boys 0 #179 1 4,064
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
HU Girls 0 #219 7 3,308
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
BD 0 #237 5 5,992
EC Boys 0 #244 3 3,322
AO Boys 0 #246 4 5,568
NA Boys 0 #253 1 6,830
TW Boys 0 #255 2 7,111
EC Girls 0 #257 2 3,650
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
IL 0 #279 4 6,291
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
JP Boys 0 #301 3 7,909
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
Canada Boys 2013 #321 6 2,334
PE 0 #323 7 6,350
CN Boys 0 #328 4 9,639
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
JO Girls 0 #336 4 7,570
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
GT 0 #338 1 5,948
CN Girls 0 #355 5 8,829
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
SD Girls 0 #357 2 7,678
PL Girls 0 #363 2 5,096
BO 0 #369 13 6,868
BD Girls 0 #377 10 8,413
EG 0 #387 14 6,387
YE 0 #396 3 8,639
PH Boys 0 #407 2 11,440
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
France Boys 2014 #415 3 2,861
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
Austria Boys 0 #431 12 2,180
CL 0 #431 4 6,867
MX 0 #444 2 8,339
CO 0 #455 26 7,768
PA Boys 0 #470 12 9,305
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
CR Boys 0 #476 12 10,188
AR Boys 0 #481 3 7,628
GT Boys 0 #495 5 7,625
PA Girls 0 #513 6 9,861
IQ Girls 0 #519 7 11,303
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
RU Boys 0 #524 3 12,621
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
GT Girls 0 #537 5 7,500
CM Boys 0 #538 13 12,054
PS Boys 0 #539 10 10,655
PS Girls 0 #545 3 10,981
HK Boys 0 #553 5 12,905
LY 0 #553 7 12,703
KW Girls 0 #557 5 19,177
CM Girls 0 #558 3 11,671
PE Boys 0 #558 376 14,506
BD Boys 0 #561 16 10,045
BO Boys 0 #562 31 9,244
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
BO Girls 0 #568 44 9,488
CR Girls 0 #570 4 11,342
BH 0 #584 4 17,937
IL Boys 0 #589 19 10,983
AE Girls 0 #593 5 20,968
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
EG Boys 0 #630 266 15,035
IL Girls 0 #644 2 11,648
HK Girls 0 #649 2 16,104
CL Boys 0 #653 13 13,390
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
CO Boys 0 #712 213 15,656
SY 0 #717 12 11,684
SG Boys 0 #734 6 17,960
QA Boys 0 #738 6 18,093
CO Girls 0 #740 368 16,140
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
TN 0 #798 32 13,765
KW Boys 0 #799 8 18,755
EG Girls 0 #804 156 14,742
United States Boys 2024 #805 88 7,044
NG Girls 0 #822 5 15,093
Germany Girls 0 #826 13 4,949
CL Girls 0 #831 21 14,098
OM Boys 0 #867 15 17,948
United States Girls 2024 #905 12 8,487
SA Girls 0 #912 24 25,931
PE Girls 0 #916 28 14,861
Spain Boys 0 #918 13 5,610
Germany Boys 0 #923 30 5,697
NG Boys 0 #942 10 16,906
MX Boys 0 #949 34 16,355
Spain Girls 0 #965 19 5,561
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
IN Boys 0 #1,037 3 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,067 6 24,821
MA 0 #1,118 11 20,986
AE Boys 0 #1,136 8 22,615
DZ 0 #1,142 35 20,130
ZA Boys 0 #1,166 13 25,619
MX Girls 0 #1,171 13 17,781
MY Boys 0 #1,174 9 25,439
ZA Girls 0 #1,233 4 25,928
TR 0 #1,250 5 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,434 13 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,441 31 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,594 21 28,008

Mayer is popular in 67 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
New York City (White, non-Hispanic), United States
France
AE
AF

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People also ask about Mayer

Mayer is predominantly a boy's name.
Mayer is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Meyer, Meier, Maier, Mayr, Meir and Meijer.
Across languages, Mayer has these equivalents: Meir (Hebrew), Meyer/Maier (German/Yiddish), Meira (Hebrew feminine equivalent).
Yes — Mayer ranked #321 in Canada in 2013, and appears in official birth registries across 3 countries.
Mayer ranks highest in Canada (#321 in 2013).
Mayer's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #835 in 2014 to #805 in 2024 in United States.