Lamar
From a placename in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare (“the pool”).
Every Lamar since 1882 — 35,251 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lamar
Lamar is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,517 in 2025 with 115 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 35,251 American babies have been named Lamar. Its peak came in 1989, when 748 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lamar stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lamar year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | #6,235 | 115 | #1,517 |
| 2024 | 18 | #6,542 | 120 | #1,496 |
| 2023 | 19 | #6,300 | 136 | #1,374 |
| 2022 | 20 | #6,118 | 144 | #1,312 |
| 2021 | 18 | #6,554 | 148 | #1,284 |
| 2020 | 18 | #6,511 | 182 | #1,090 |
| 2019 | 27 | #4,982 | 194 | #1,056 |
| 2018 | 35 | #4,117 | 201 | #1,025 |
| 2017 | 52 | #3,118 | 234 | #915 |
| 2016 | 59 | #2,887 | 230 | #926 |
| 2015 | 60 | #2,912 | 277 | #818 |
| 2014 | 51 | #3,209 | 268 | #843 |
| 2013 | 49 | #3,295 | 327 | #717 |
| 2012 | 29 | #4,911 | 289 | #785 |
| 2011 | 38 | #3,970 | 315 | #723 |
| 2010 | 28 | #5,037 | 333 | #702 |
| 2009 | 31 | #4,751 | 293 | #778 |
| 2008 | 25 | #5,664 | 308 | #740 |
| 2007 | 17 | #7,598 | 339 | #695 |
| 2006 | 13 | #9,035 | 340 | #671 |
| 2005 | — | — | 303 | #686 |
| 2004 | 5 | #17,607 | 263 | #725 |
| 2003 | — | — | 238 | #752 |
| 2002 | — | — | 242 | #730 |
| 2001 | — | — | 288 | #649 |
| 2000 | — | — | 286 | #638 |
| 1995 | — | — | 306 | #585 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8,223 | 689 | #350 |
| 1985 | 10 | #6,720 | 535 | #348 |
| 1980 | 11 | #6,122 | 611 | #314 |
| 1975 | 16 | #4,037 | 322 | #444 |
| 1970 | 9 | #5,610 | 400 | #407 |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,350 | 239 | #494 |
| 1960 | 12 | #3,812 | 267 | #486 |
| 1955 | 10 | #3,925 | 282 | #440 |
| 1950 | 11 | #3,324 | 276 | #406 |
| 1945 | — | — | 198 | #425 |
| 1940 | — | — | 212 | #393 |
| 1935 | — | — | 216 | #368 |
| 1930 | — | — | 228 | #376 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,867 | 237 | #389 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,673 | 183 | #447 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,623 | 125 | #494 |
| 1910 | — | — | 34 | #476 |
| 1905 | — | — | 15 | #626 |
| 1900 | — | — | 16 | #639 |
| 1895 | — | — | 10 | #725 |
| 1890 | — | — | 5 | #1,087 |
| 1885 | — | — | 14 | #513 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Lamar
- Lamar Odom Basketball player · b. 1979
- Lamar Alexander Politician · b. 1940
- Lamar Smith Politician · b. 1947
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lamar mean?
From a placename in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare (“the pool”).
How popular is the name Lamar in 2025?
Lamar ranked #1,517 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 115 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lamar?
35,251 babies have been named Lamar in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lamar most popular?
Lamar peaked in 1989, when 748 newborns received the name.
Is Lamar a boy or girl name?
Lamar is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lamar rising or falling?
Lamar is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lamar?
Well-known people named Lamar include Lamar Odom (basketball player), Lamar Alexander (politician), Lamar Smith (politician).