Meir

Did you know?

A few things about Meir you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Meir

Meir Shalev

Israeli writer (1948–2023)

Choose Meir and your child shares a first name with Meir Shalev, an Israeli writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Meir, like who?” Meir Shalev's Wikipedia article is available in 28 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Meir Shalev on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Svklimkin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 6,887 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Meir, 248 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Meir would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryMeir first shows up in US birth records in 1951, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 74 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 2024, when it reached #907.
• 📈Then vs nowMeir is 6.3× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 43,668 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 6,887.
• 🚀TrendMeir has climbed 21 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #948. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedMeir is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #105, followed by New York (#176). It's in the top 1,000 in 2 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Hebrew, Meir means “one who shines”.

About the name Meir

Meir is a boy name of French origin meaning “one who shines”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with M and ending in “-eir”. US birth records list Meir for boys from 1951 to 2025, in 66 of those 75 years. Its best year was 2024, when it ranked #907 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #948, with 248 babies.

Origin:French names