Given name & surname
Adam
“man”·“of the earth”
Adam is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “man” (Hebrew) and “of the earth” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewאדם
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “man” (Hebrew) and “of the earth” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Hebrew, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
In German usage, Adam developed from the Ancient Greek form Ἀδάμ.
The story
The name has a place in biblical naming traditions.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Adam appears in Genesis 2:20, Genesis 2:7, 1 Corinthians 15:22 and 1 other passage.
- Genesis 2:20
- Genesis 2:7
- 1 Corinthians 15:22
- 1 Corinthians 15:45
From biblical name research
Adam through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 582,453
- 580,378 boys · 2,075 girls
- Most popular year
- 1984
- 24,081 babies
- 2025
- 3,511
- #101 for boys · #9,464 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −22%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 3,501 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 101 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 22.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 23,939 in 1984. It also appeared in 10 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (468). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 496,300 as a first name in 2020; 15,473 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.
Adam’s family of names
In Czech usage, Adam has a diminutive in Ada. In English usage, Adam has a later derivative in Addie. In Walloon usage, Adam has a related form in Adan.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Adam has relatives in 56 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 114
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Addisondiminutive · English
- Adadiminutive · Czech, German
- Adanvariant · Walloon
- Addiediminutive · English
- Adelvariant · German
- Adamsvariant · German
- Addydiminutive · English
- Ademvariant · Turkish, Serbo-Croatian
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- Adevariant · German
- Addisvariant · English
- Addamvariant
- Adammlikely variant
- Adamovariant · Slovene, Italian
- Haddyvariant · English
- Adeydiminutive · English
- Addeydiminutive · English
- Adiediminutive · English
- Damekdiminutive · Czech
- Adodiminutive · Slovak
- Adomvariant
- Advariant
- Edomvariant
- Damvariant · German
- Adaevariant · German
- Adnittdiminutive · English
- Adaemkindiminutive · Dutch
- Adasiekdiminutive · Polish
- Adenotdiminutive · French
- Achesondiminutive · English
- Adamusvariant · Latin, German
- Adamekdiminutive · Polish, German
- Ádadiminutive · Czech
- Keddydiminutive · English
- Keddiediminutive · English
- Aitchisondiminutive · English
- Hadcockdiminutive · English
- Adcockdiminutive · English
- Adkindiminutive · English
- Adnettdiminutive · English
- Adaśdiminutive · Polish
- Adanetdiminutive · French
- Adamosvariant · English
- Áďadiminutive · Czech
- Adámekdiminutive · Czech
- Addediminutive · Swedish
- Atkindiminutive · English
- Aramavariant · Māori
- Aatoshort form · Finnish, izh
- Atkinsvariant
- Atimvariant
- Adnotvariant
- Adnonvariant
- Adnetvariant
- Adimvariant
- Addemvariant
- Addamsvariant
- Adaovariant
- MacCawvariant
- Macadamsvariant
- Macadamvariant
And 54 more.
Spellings & scripts 10
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
- אדםin another script · Hebrew, lad-Hebr
- 𐽰𐽰𐽸𐽰𐽹original script
- ࡀࡃࡀࡌoriginal script
- Адамin another script · Ukrainian, Belarusian
- Ադամin another script · Armenian, Classical Armenian
- Άδαμin another script · Greek
- Άνταμin another script · Greek
- Jadamspelling
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Across languages 64
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- אָדָםHebrew
- Adamaequivalent
- AddaWelsh
- AadamEstonian
- Aidamequivalent
- Axonderivative · English
- Adomascognate · Lithuanian
- Adaminafeminine form
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- Διαμαντήςequivalent
- Diamantisequivalent
- Adamantiosequivalent
- Αδαμάντιοςequivalent
- ఆదాముequivalent
- ਆਦਮequivalent
- 𑄃𑄘𑄧𑄟𑄴equivalent
- આદમequivalent
- अदांवequivalent
- Adəmequivalent
- ꠀꠖꠝequivalent
- ആദാംequivalent
- အာဒမ်equivalent
- আদমequivalent
- Aademequivalent
- Âdamequivalent
- 亞當Chinese, zh-tw
- Adamson“son of” surname · English
- Adamsen“son of” surname · Danish
- Y-Adamderivative · rad
- McAdiepatronymic from · English
- Adánderivative · Spanish
- Eadederivative · English
- Adamuborrowing · Yoruba, Hausa
- Kiddypatronymic from · English
- Kiddiepatronymic from · English
- Aitkinspatronymic from · English
- Aitkenspatronymic from · English
- Aikinspatronymic from · English
- Adkinspatronymic from · English
- Âdemdoublet · Turkish
- Ádamderivative · Faroese
- Adespatronymic from · English
- Atkinsonpatronymic from · English
- Adãoderivative · Portuguese
- آدمsource · Urdu, Persian
- ÁdámHungarian
- ĀdamsLatvian
- AatamilaFinnish
- ΑδάμGreek
- Ἀδάμroot · Ancient Greek
- ΑδάμοςGreek
- Ádhamhderivative · Irish
- AaduEstonian
- ʻAkamuHawaiian
- Aatamiderivative · Finnish
- AdemiAlbanian
- Àdhamhderivative · Scottish Gaelic
- आदमHindi
- ĀramaMāori
- адамъsource · cu
- อาดัมThai
And 4 more.
See also 9
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Damascusshares a root
- Eunansee also
- Ephes-dammimshares a root
- Dumahshares a root
- Akeldamashares a root
- Adminshares a root
- Adamahshares a root
- Madmannahshares a root
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People named Adam
- Adam SmithScottish moral philosopher and political economist (1723–1790)
- Adam MickiewiczPolish national poet, dramatist, essayist, publicist, translator, and political activist (1798-1855)
- Adam SandlerAmerican actor and comedianborn 1966
- Adam LevineAmerican singer (born 1979)
- Adam RiessAmerican astrophysicistborn 1969
- Calvin HarrisScottish electronic music producer and DJ (born 1984)
- Adam LambertAmerican singer (born 1982)
- Adam DriverAmerican actor (born 1983)
- Adam of Bremen11th-century German historian and chronicler1100–1085
Characters named Adam: Black Adam (DC Comics), Adam Strange (DC Comics fictional character), Beast (the Beauty and the Beast), Adam Mitchell (Doctor Who companion).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Adam, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Abraham
“father of a multitude (of nations)” · “father of a multitude; father of nations”
>99% boys
Benjamin
“son of the right hand” · “son of the south”
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Aaron
“Exalted” · “mountain of strength”
>99% boys
Joshua
“God . is salvation” · “God is salvation”
>99% boys
Jacob
“heel grabber” · “supplanter”
>99% boys
Jeremy
“one who is exalted by the Lord” · “appointed by God”
>99% boys
Eran
“one who has been awakened”
>99% boys
Zachariah
“The Lord remembers”
>99% boys