boy's name
Casper
KAS-pər
- Origin Persian
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 10,373
the United States
#924
2025 births
Casper is a boy's name of Persian origin meaning "treasurer." It comes from ganzabara, keeper of the treasure, and is traditionally the name of one of the three magi who visited the infant Jesus.
- Casper is a name of Persian origin.
- Peaked in US records in 2024, when 274 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,733 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Casper over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Casper is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 193 |
| 1890s | 180 |
| 1900s | 144 |
| 1910s | 716 |
| 1920s | 762 |
| 1930s | 420 |
| 1940s | 281 |
| 1950s | 253 |
| 1960s | 156 |
| 1970s | 115 |
| 1980s | 145 |
| 1990s | 218 |
| 2000s | 425 |
| 2010s | 944 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,277 |
What Casper means
Casper means treasurer, or keeper of the treasure. The Persian ganzabara combines a word for treasure with one for bearing or keeping — a court office rather than a personal quality.
Where Casper comes from
Casper descends from the Persian ganzabara, treasurer, by way of the Aramaic and Greek forms Gaspar and Kaspar. The gospels do not name or number the magi; the tradition of three — Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar — develops in the sixth century and later, and their supposed relics are venerated at Cologne Cathedral. Jasper is the same name, which is why our Jasper entry gives the same Persian root. Casper the Friendly Ghost, from 1945, has done the name little harm in Britain and Scandinavia, where it is thoroughly current.
Casper in use
Our data shows Casper peaking in 2024 and still rising, at 167 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1880. Jasper, the same name in a different form, sits considerably higher — one root producing two separately ranked British names.
How popular is Casper?
In 2025, Casper was given to 304 babies in England and Wales, ranking #167 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Casper is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Casper
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Casper also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Casper over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Casper
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Casper in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Casper
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Casper — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Casper
What does the name Casper mean?
Casper means "treasurer," from the Persian ganzabara, keeper of the treasure.
Are Casper and Jasper the same name?
Yes — both descend from the same Persian root through different routes.
Was Casper one of the three wise men?
By tradition. The gospels neither name nor number the magi; the three names appear from the sixth century onward.
How popular is the name Casper?
In 2025, Casper was given to 304 babies in England and Wales, ranking #167 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Casper a girl's or a boy's name?
Casper is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Casper?
Casper has 2 syllables.
When was Casper most popular?
Casper peaked in 2024, when 274 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Casper?
Casper is usually shortened to Cas, Cass and Cash.
Is Casper a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Casper currently ranks #167 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.