Declining since 2022.
Popularity of Gilmer since 1907
Babies named Gilmer per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1918, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Gilmer's real moment was 1907.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 15 |
| 1910s | 229 |
| 1920s | 291 |
| 1930s | 195 |
| 1940s | 187 |
| 1950s | 117 |
| 1960s | 43 |
| 1970s | 11 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 21 |
| 2010s | 43 |
| 2020s | 30 |
Meaning & origin
Gilmer is a rare masculine given name with English origins, first recorded in 1907 when it saw its sole peak. It has not ranked in the top 1000 ever since, and its trajectory has been falling since 2022. The name follows a pattern of early 20th century usage similar to other surname-as-first-name choices, but it remains uncommon, with no recorded top states and an unknown incidence of 1 in N births. While it shares a phonetic resemblance to the more familiar Scottish Gilmour, Gilmer stands as a distinct, if obscure, choice from the first decade of the 1900s.
The name Gilmer likely originates as an English surname, itself possibly derived from a place name or from Old English elements. It may be a variant of Gilmour, which is of Scottish origin meaning 'servant of (the Virgin) Mary' from Gaelic gille 'servant' and Moire 'Mary', but this is not certain for Gilmer. The name has been used infrequently as a given name in the United States since the early 1900s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Gil, Merr
Variants: Gilmour, Gilmore
Sibling names for Gilmer
Names that share Gilmer's style, for a brother or sister.
