Homer
Meaninghostage · Greek
- US rank
- #4,707
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #64 in 1893
21 babies were named Homer in the US in 2025. It has dropped 1,137 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Homer you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 81,301 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Homer, 21 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Homer would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryHomer has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Homers, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1893, when it ranked #64. Today it's #4,707, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendHomer has slipped 1,137 places over the last five years and now sits at #4,707. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn Greek, Homer means “hostage”.
About the name Homer
Homer is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “hostage”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with H and ending in “-mer”. US birth records list Homer for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1893, when it ranked #64 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #4,707, with 21 babies.
Origin:Greek names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,022 | 494 boys |
| 1890s | 2,311 | 433 boys |
| 1900s | 2,157 | 464 boys |
| 1910s | 1,753 | 570 boys |
| 1920s | 1,375 | 727 boys |
| 1930s | 892 | 1,121 boys |
| 1940s | 485 | 2,063 boys |
| 1950s | 230 | 4,343 boys |
| 1960s | 128 | 7,808 boys |
| 1970s | 79 | 12,689 boys |
| 1980s | 41 | 24,516 boys |
| 1990s | 19 | 53,937 boys |
| 2000s | 10 | 96,339 boys |
| 2010s | 14 | 73,421 boys |
| 2020s | 18 | 56,657 boys |
More Greek boy names
- Boy name: Theodore · gift of God
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Lucas · man from Lucania
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Boy name: Leo · lion
- Boy name: Thomas · twin
- Unisex name: Miles · possibly gracious
Questions about the name Homer
What does the name Homer mean?
Homer means “hostage” in Greek.
What is the origin of the name Homer?
Homer has Greek roots in our records. Other Greek names include Theodore, Mateo, Lucas.
Is Homer a boy or girl name?
Homer is a boy name.
How popular is the name Homer?
Homer ranked #4,707 for US boys in 2025, given to 21 babies. Its best year was 1893 (#64).