Homer first name popularity, history and meaning

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

Meaning of Homer

A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "hostage" or "pledge".

Popularity of Homer by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Homer is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 39 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Homer.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 39 0
2022 35 0
2021 32 0
2020 30 0
2019 23 0
2018 32 0
2017 26 0
2016 24 0
2015 30 0
2014 30 0
2013 20 0
2012 25 0
2011 21 0
2010 25 0
2009 13 0
2008 27 0
2007 22 0
2006 22 0
2005 19 0
2004 24 0
2003 9 0
2002 31 0
2001 18 0
2000 22 0
1999 27 0
1998 33 0
1997 29 0
1996 36 0
1995 32 0
1994 31 0
1993 29 0
1992 49 0
1991 39 0
1990 58 0
1989 50 0
1988 53 0
1987 55 0
1986 70 0
1985 79 0
1984 72 0
1983 86 0
1982 78 0
1981 98 0
1980 106 0
1979 99 0
1978 101 0
1977 111 0
1976 109 0
1975 112 0
1974 143 0

The history of the first name Homer

The name Homer has its origins in ancient Greek language and culture, dating back to the 8th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "homeros," which means "hostage" or "pledge." The name is believed to have been derived from the Greek verb "homeresthai," meaning "to join together."

One of the earliest and most famous references to the name Homer is in connection with the legendary ancient Greek poet, author of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. This Homer, whose existence and identity have been the subject of much scholarly debate, is believed to have lived around the 8th century BC.

In ancient Greek mythology, Homer was also the name of a legendary blind poet and singer, who was said to have been the son of the river god Meles and the nymph Critheïs. This mythological figure was often depicted as an elderly blind man, playing a lyre.

Throughout history, the name Homer has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded examples is Homer of Byzantium, a grammarian and critic who lived in the 2nd century BC. Another notable figure was Homer of Alexandria, a Greek grammarian and critic who lived in the 3rd century AD.

In more recent times, the name Homer has been carried by several famous writers and poets. These include the American poet Homer Baxter Sprague (1829-1918), the American poet and essayist Homer Greene (1853-1940), and the British poet and translator Homer Sykes (1949-2017).

Other notable individuals with the name Homer include Homer Plessy (1862-1925), the American activist who was the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, and Homer Laughlin (1835-1913), the American businessman and founder of the Homer Laughlin China Company.

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 Homer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

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

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

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

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.