Blair first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Blair has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Blair

Anglicized form of a Scottish surname meaning "plain, field, battlefield".

Popularity of Blair by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Blair is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 74% of people named Blair being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,263 female babies and 84 male babies born with the name Blair.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 84 1,263
2022 81 1,117
2021 60 1,024
2020 49 925
2019 65 771
2018 55 729
2017 75 614
2016 84 596
2015 70 484
2014 73 440
2013 59 382
2012 64 305
2011 75 262
2010 70 224
2009 48 230
2008 70 194
2007 58 187
2006 93 157
2005 43 164
2004 85 152
2003 68 148
2002 70 166
2001 87 154
2000 108 218
1999 91 241
1998 128 257
1997 115 304
1996 118 334
1995 137 338
1994 161 332
1993 185 360
1992 252 457
1991 267 438
1990 304 501
1989 247 490
1988 204 547
1987 156 443
1986 193 495
1985 180 513
1984 218 482
1983 237 411
1982 228 483
1981 281 373
1980 239 171
1979 241 88
1978 211 59
1977 193 41
1976 165 42
1975 151 33
1974 143 34

The history of the first name Blair

The name Blair is of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Gaelic word "blar" meaning "field" or "plain." It is believed to have originated as a surname referring to someone who lived near a field or plain.

The earliest recorded use of the name Blair dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared as a surname in Scotland. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name was William de Blair, who was mentioned in a charter from the reign of King William the Lion of Scotland (1165-1214).

In the Middle Ages, Blair was a common surname in Scotland, particularly in the counties of Ayr and Renfrew. It was also used as a place name, such as Blair Atholl and Blair Castle, which were associated with the influential Murray family.

The name Blair gained wider recognition during the Scottish Renaissance, when notable figures like Robert Blair (1593-1666), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and writer, and John Blair (1720-1800), a Scottish-American farmer and judge, rose to prominence.

As the name gained popularity, it began to be used as a given name as well. One of the earliest recorded instances of Blair as a first name was in the 18th century, when Blair Smith (1770-1857), an American politician and lawyer, was born.

Other notable individuals named Blair throughout history include:

  1. Blair Underwood (born 1964), an American actor known for his roles in films and television shows like "L.A. Law" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine."

  2. Blair Brown (born 1946), an American actress best known for her roles in films like "The Accidental Tourist" and "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd."

  3. Blair Rasmussen (born 1973), an Australian Olympic swimmer who won a gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

  4. Blair Holcomb (born 1991), an American professional ice hockey player.

  5. Blair Thornburgh (born 1983), an American author known for her young adult fiction novels.

While the name Blair has its roots in Scotland, it has gained worldwide recognition and is now used as a given name in various cultures and countries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Blair was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Blair, please contact us.

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"Blair first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/blair-meaning-and-history/.

"Blair first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/blair-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Blair first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/blair-meaning-and-history/.

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