Given name & surname · also Scottish
Adair
“from the oak-tree ford”·“a wealthy spearman”
Adair is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “from the oak-tree ford” (Scottish) and “a wealthy spearman” (German). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “from the oak-tree ford” (Scottish) and “a wealthy spearman” (German). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Scottish and German naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Adair through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,217
- 1,797 boys · 1,420 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 120 babies
- 2025
- 90
- #2,145 for boys · #5,412 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +42%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 67% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 67 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,145 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 70.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 100 in 2007. It also appeared in 23 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (15). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,412 as a first name in 2020; 18,053 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Adair’s family of names
Adair has a related form in Adara. Adair has a related form in Adaire. Adair has a related form in Adaira.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Adair
- Adair CrawfordBritish chemist (1748-1795)
- Adair TishlerAmerican actressborn 1996
- Adair José GuimarãesBrazilian priestborn 1960
- Adair Turner, Baron Turner of EcchinswellBritish businessman (born 1955)
- Adair FergusonAustralian rowerborn 1955
- Adair CardosoBrazilian singerborn 1993
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Adair, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dallas
“from the valley meadow” · “from the dales; from the city in Texas”
74% boys · 26% girls
Arley
“from the hare's meadow”
68% boys · 32% girls
Finley
“a fair-haired hero”
46% boys · 54% girls
Drew
“one who is wise”
67% boys · 33% girls
Baumgaertner
“tree-gardener”
—
Glain
“as precious as jewel”
75% boys · 25% girls
Palm
“palm tree”
47% boys · 53% girls
Bungert
“tree” · “enclosure”
—