boy's name
Hunter
HUN-ter
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 308,320
the United States
#130
2025 births
Hunter is a name of English origin meaning "one who hunts." It began as an occupational surname, and in medieval England hunting was a regulated privilege rather than a general right — a hunter was a professional in a lord's service.
- Hunter is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2000, when 13,252 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,075 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Hunter over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. 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 | 84 |
| 1890s | 101 |
| 1900s | 131 |
| 1910s | 419 |
| 1920s | 581 |
| 1930s | 393 |
| 1940s | 470 |
| 1950s | 581 |
| 1960s | 769 |
| 1970s | 1,263 |
| 1980s | 6,055 |
| 1990s | 66,137 |
| 2000s | 98,430 |
| 2010s | 77,857 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 23,351 |
What Hunter means
Hunter means one who hunts, from the Old English hunta. The medieval occupation was specific: hunting rights were restricted by forest law, so a hunter worked for someone who held them.
Where Hunter comes from
Hunter comes from the Old English hunta, a hunter, and became a fixed occupational surname in England and Scotland during the medieval period. Forest law after the Norman Conquest reserved hunting rights in royal forests to the king, with severe penalties for poaching, so professional huntsmen were retained by the crown and by great landowners rather than working independently. The Hunter family of Hunterston in Ayrshire held such a role. Its use as a given name is modern and largely American, and it is given to both boys and girls.
Hunter in use
Norman forest law made hunting a restricted privilege, so a medieval hunter was a retained professional.
How popular is Hunter?
In 2025, Hunter was given to 3,084 babies in the United States, ranking #130 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Hunter is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Hunter
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Hunter also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Hunter over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Hunter
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.
Sibling names for Hunter
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Hunter — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Hunter
What does the name Hunter mean?
Hunter means "one who hunts," from the Old English hunta.
Is Hunter a boy's or a girl's name?
Both, though it is given more often to boys.
Was Hunter originally a surname?
Yes, an occupational surname in England and Scotland.
How popular is the name Hunter?
In 2025, Hunter was given to 3,084 babies in the United States, ranking #130 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
How many syllables are in Hunter?
Hunter has 2 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Hunter?
Hunter is usually shortened to Hunt.
Is Hunter a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Hunter currently ranks #53 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.