Given name & surname
Kemper
“one who is noble”
Kemper is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “one who is noble.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One American interpretation is “one who is noble.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is American.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kemper through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,899
- 1,598 boys · 301 girls
- Most popular year
- 2009
- 77 babies
- 2025
- 35
- #5,824 for girls · #6,288 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −8%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 62% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 21 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,824 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 44.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 14 birth records for boys in 2025. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,412 as a first name in 2020; 9,833 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.
Kemper’s family of names
Kemper has a related form in Kempar. Kemper has a related form in Kempir. Kemper has a related form in Kempor.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Kempurvariant
- Kemporvariant
- Kempyrvariant
- Kempirvariant
- Kemparvariant
- Kempertvariant · German
- Kempersvariant · German
- Kaempervariant · German
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Kemper, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Collier
“a coal miner”
67% boys · 33% girls
Channing
“an offficial of the church” · “resembling a young wolf”
65% boys · 35% girls
Ramsey
Ramsey is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the raven island; from the island of wild garlic.”
56% boys · 44% girls
Skyler
“one who is learned; a scholar” · “a fugitive”
44% boys · 56% girls
Chandler
“a candlemaker” · “one who makes candles”
63% boys · 37% girls
Tennyson
“son of Dennis”
61% boys · 39% girls
Ramsay
Ramsay is a variant of Ramsey. One English interpretation is “from the raven island; from the island of wild garlic.”
74% boys · 26% girls
Parker
“the keeper of the park”
65% boys · 35% girls