Given name & surname
Mortimer
“dead sea”·“of the still water; of the dead sea”
Mortimer is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “dead sea” and “of the still water; of the dead sea” (French). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original FrenchMort
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “dead sea” and “of the still water; of the dead sea” (French). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is French.
How it developed
In Irish use, Mortimer is used as a form of Muiriartach. In Jewish use, Mortimer is used as a form of Moses.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Mortimer through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,943
- 1,943 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1916
- 91 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2023. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 431 as a first name in 2020; 5,340 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.
Mortimer’s family of names
In English usage, Mortimer has a diminutive in Mo. Mortimer is an English adaptation of Moses. In French usage, Mortimer has a diminutive in Mort.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Mortimer
- Mortimer J. AdlerAmerican philosopher, author and educator (1902–2001)
- Mortimer WheelerBritish archaeologist (1890-1976)
- Mort ShumanAmerican songwriter (1938–1991)
- Mortimer ZuckermanAmerican businessmanborn 1937
- Mortimer von KesselGerman general (1893-1981)
- Mortimer TaubeAmerican librarian (1910–1965)
- Mortimer R. ProctorAmerican politician (1889–1968)
- Mortimer MenpesAustralian-born artist, author, printmaker and illustrator (1855-1938)
- Mortimer DavisCanadian businessman (1866–1928)
Characters named Mortimer: Morty Smith (titular fictive character of Rick and Morty).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Mortimer, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Mansfield
“from the field near the small river”
>99% boys
Murrell
“of the shining sea”
85% boys · 15% girls
Meade
“from the meadow”
99% boys · 1% girls
Morley
“woman from the moor” · “from the meadow on the moor”
92% boys · 8% girls
Murvin
“a friend of the sea”
>99% boys
Poirrier
“pear tree”
—
Poirier
“pear tree”
—
Oakey
“from the oak-tree grove”
>99% boys