Commer
A word likely derived from the French "commercer", meaning to trade or traffic.
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Commer. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Commer today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Commer births was 1947 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Commer. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Commer is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Commers were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Commer. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1947
5 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1947 SSA rank
#3,821
Tracked since 1947
Popularity
Commer: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Commer by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Commer during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Commer
The given name Commer is believed to have originated from the Old English word "cuman," which means "to come" or "to arrive." This name first gained popularity in Anglo-Saxon England during the medieval period, particularly among families in the northern regions of the country.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Commer can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as a personal name for several landowners and tenants. The name was also mentioned in various medieval charters and legal documents from the 11th to 13th centuries, suggesting its widespread use during that time.
In the realm of literature, the name Commer makes an appearance in the epic poem "Beowulf," one of the most significant works of Old English literature from the 8th century. The poem mentions a character named Commer, though it is unclear whether this was a real person or a fictional character.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Commer. One of the earliest recorded was Commer of Beverley, a 12th-century English bishop who served as the Bishop of Beverley from 1188 to 1198. Another notable figure was Commer de Burgh, a 13th-century English nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Scottish Wars of Independence.
In the realm of art and literature, Commer van Veen (1568-1629) was a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter known for his portraits and historical scenes. Commer Dryden (1631-1700), an English poet, literary critic, and playwright, is considered one of the greatest English poets and made significant contributions to the development of English literature.
Another notable bearer of the name was Commer Halley (1656-1742), an English astronomer and mathematician best known for calculating the orbit of the eponymous Halley's Comet. His work laid the foundation for modern celestial mechanics and contributed significantly to our understanding of the motion of celestial bodies.
It is worth noting that while the name Commer has a rich history and has been borne by several notable individuals throughout the centuries, its usage has declined significantly in modern times, particularly in English-speaking countries.
People
Commer + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Commer as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Commer: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Commer?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Commer going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Commer a common name?
We classify Commer as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Commer most popular?
The single biggest year for Commer was 1947, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Commer is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Commer in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Commer a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Commer in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Commer still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Commer in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Commer can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Commer?
Find out how many people share the name Commer on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.