Given name & surname · also German
Lamar
“from the renowned land”·“of the sea”
Lamar is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “from the renowned land” and “of the sea”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “from the renowned land” and “of the sea”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with German and French naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Lamar through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 35,251
- 33,967 boys · 1,284 girls
- Most popular year
- 1989
- 748 babies
- 2025
- 134
- #1,517 for boys · #6,235 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −39%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 86% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 115 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,517 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 36.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 737 in 1989. It also appeared in 19 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Ohio had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (15). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 21,069 as a first name in 2020; 11,113 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.
Lamar’s family of names
Lamar has a related form in Lamarr. Lamar has a related form in Lemar. Lamar has a related form in Lamarre.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Lamar
- Lamar OdomAmerican basketball player (born 1979)
- Lamar JacksonAmerican football player (born 1997)
- Lamar SmithAmerican politicianborn 1947
- Lamar HuntAmerican sports executive (1932–2006)
- Lamar PattersonAmerican basketball player (born 1991)
- Lamar JohnsonCanadian actor and dancerborn 1994
- Lamar StevensAmerican basketball player (born 1997)
- Lamar TrottiAmerican film producer (1900–1952)
- Lamar NeagleAmerican professional soccer playerborn 1987
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lamar, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Locke
“man of the forest” · “from the fortress”
>99% boys
Poirrier
“pear tree”
—
Poirier
“pear tree”
—
Baumgaertner
“tree-gardener”
—
Itsasne
“of the sea”
—
Bungert
“tree” · “enclosure”
—
Weisenthal
“meadow”
—
Best
“a river in Germany”
72% boys · 28% girls