A 1890s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Newman since 1882
Babies named Newman per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Newman's real moment was 1895.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 32 |
| 1890s | 66 |
| 1900s | 56 |
| 1910s | 330 |
| 1920s | 442 |
| 1930s | 261 |
| 1940s | 198 |
| 1950s | 163 |
| 1960s | 109 |
| 1970s | 73 |
| 1980s | 55 |
| 1990s | 44 |
| 2000s | 32 |
| 2010s | 30 |
| 2020s | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Newman is a surname-turned-first-name with a straightforward meaning: 'new man.' It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1882 and saw its peak usage in 1895. After decades of obscurity, it has been rising in popularity since 2022, part of a broader revival of 1890s-era names. While it has never ranked in the top 1000, its recent upward trend suggests it may appeal to parents seeking a distinctive yet familiar-sounding name with a strong surname heritage.
Newman is an English surname that originated as a status name for a newcomer to a community, derived from Middle English 'newe' (new) and 'man' (man). It was sometimes used as a given name in honor of a family surname, becoming moderately popular in the United States during the late 1800s and seeing a revival in recent years.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: New, Newy
Sibling names for Newman
Names that share Newman's style, for a brother or sister.
