Norman

Did you know?

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

⭐ Famous Norman

Norman Foster Ramsey

American physicist (1915–2011)

Choose Norman and your child shares a first name with Norman Foster Ramsey, an American physicist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Norman, like who?” Norman Foster Ramsey's Wikipedia article is available in 66 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Norman Foster Ramsey on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: ENERGY.GOV, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 10,111 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Norman, 169 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Norman would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryNorman has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Normans, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1931, when it ranked #36. Today it's #1,196, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🍂TrendNorman has slipped 69 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,196. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedNorman is most popular in South Dakota, where it ranks #257, followed by Michigan (#601) and Minnesota (#640). It's in the top 1,000 in 10 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Germanic, Norman means “man from the north”. Our records link it to English, French and German roots.

About the name Norman

Norman is a boy name of English, French and German origin meaning “man from the north”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with N and ending in “-man”. US birth records list Norman for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1931, when it ranked #36 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,196, with 169 babies.

Origin:English namesFrench namesGerman names