Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Meir as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Meir

Add to my Name List

The baby name Meir is a Male name , 1212 syllables long and is pronounced Hebrew: /meˈir/ (meh-EER); English: /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er).

Meir is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 1212.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: Hebrew: /meˈir/ (meh-EER); English: /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er)

What is the meaning of the name Meir ?

The baby name Meir is a Male name , 1212 syllables long and is pronounced Hebrew: /meˈir/ (meh-EER); English: /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er).

Meir is Hebrew in Origin.

Meir is a Hebrew given name (meh-EER) meaning "one who illuminates" or "bringer of light," from the verb me'ir, "to give light," rooted in or ("light"). Common transliterations include Meir and Me'ir; related forms are the feminine Meira/Meyra and the Yiddish diminutive Meirke. In Jewish Ashkenazi usage, Meyer/Mayer/Meier can reflect the same Hebrew name, though those spellings sometimes also stem from the unrelated German surname Meier.

With a pedigree in classical rabbinic literature, the name is epitomized by Rabbi Meir, a 2nd-century Tanna renowned for learning and miracles (Baal HaNes). It remained popular across medieval and early-modern Jewish communities - e.g., Meir of Rothenburg - and continues widely in Israel and the diaspora. Modern bearers include Tel Aviv's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff; as a surname it appears with Golda Meir. Connotations of enlightenment, scholarship, and moral clarity keep Meir a timeless, tradition-rich choice.

Meir has the following similar or variant Names

Meir – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
IL Boys 0 #55 2,745 10,983
KZ 0 #92 3 1,452
PS Boys 0 #93 1,208 10,655
IL 0 #103 225 6,291
PS 0 #116 107 5,692
IQ 0 #133 1 3,533
PA 0 #137 2 3,797
HU Boys 0 #173 2 3,954
MT Boys 0 #179 1 4,064
KZ Boys 0 #205 87 6,578
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
Canada Boys 2023 #289 21 2,601
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
DK Boys 0 #328 5 7,401
KZ Girls 0 #331 2 5,862
PT Boys 0 #381 1 7,951
France Boys 2021 #384 4 2,865
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
PH Boys 0 #407 2 11,440
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
MX 0 #445 1 8,339
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
PA Boys 0 #468 14 9,305
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
CR Boys 0 #509 2 10,188
PS Girls 0 #512 12 10,981
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
HK Boys 0 #557 1 12,905
LY 0 #557 3 12,703
IR Boys 0 #564 2 10,162
BH 0 #586 2 17,937
AE Girls 0 #597 1 20,968
IL Girls 0 #601 17 11,648
SG Girls 0 #632 1 18,916
United States Boys 2024 #643 253 7,044
HK Girls 0 #648 3 16,104
Finland Boys 2026 #677 6 3,552
IQ Boys 0 #693 5 13,071
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
TN 0 #861 5 13,765
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
EG Boys 0 #923 3 15,035
PE Boys 0 #925 2 14,506
CO Boys 0 #977 5 15,656
NG Boys 0 #999 3 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
SA Girls 0 #1,010 5 25,931
MX Boys 0 #1,032 2 16,355
AE Boys 0 #1,143 1 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,151 2 16,140
MY Boys 0 #1,176 7 25,439
MA 0 #1,191 9 20,986
DZ 0 #1,233 2 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,236 1 25,928
TR 0 #1,251 4 19,440
ZA Boys 0 #1,266 7 25,619
SA Boys 0 #1,604 11 28,008

Meir is popular in 43 countries — most recent births per country:

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

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Meir

Meir is predominantly a boy's name.
Meir is a 1212 syllable name, pronounced Hebrew: /meˈir/ (meh-EER); English: /ˈmeɪər/ (MAY-er).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Me'ir, Meira (feminine), Meyer, Meier, Mayer and Maier.
Across languages, Meir has these equivalents: Lior (Hebrew, 'my light'), Or (Hebrew, 'light'), Noor/Nur (Arabic, 'light'), Lucius/Lucian/Lucas (Latin-derived names meaning 'light'), Zohar (Hebrew, 'splendor').
Yes — Meir ranked #289 in Canada in 2023, and appears in official birth registries across 4 countries.
Meir ranks highest in Canada (#289 in 2023).
Meir's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #411 in 2011 to #384 in 2021 in France.