unisex name · in the US
Spencer
SPEN-sər (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 151,486
the United States
#360
2025 births
Spencer is a name of Middle English origin meaning "steward" or "dispenser of provisions." It named the household officer who handed out supplies from the pantry, and the jacket is named for an earl who wore one short.
- Spencer is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1998, when 4,780 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,875 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Spencer Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 313 |
| 1890s | 309 |
| 1900s | 396 |
| 1910s | 1,373 |
| 1920s | 1,872 |
| 1930s | 1,792 |
| 1940s | 3,036 |
| 1950s | 3,165 |
| 1960s | 4,433 |
| 1970s | 6,956 |
| 1980s | 15,528 |
| 1990s | 39,491 |
| 2000s | 28,066 |
| 2010s | 15,750 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 7,158 |
What Spencer Means
Spencer means one who dispenses — specifically the servant responsible for issuing provisions from a great household's stores. It is a job title rather than a description.
Where Spencer Comes From
Spencer comes from the Middle English spenser, a shortening of dispenser, from the Old French despensier — the officer of a medieval household who controlled the buttery and pantry. The Spencer family, later Earls Spencer and the family of Diana, Princess of Wales, took the surname from that office. The short spencer jacket is named after the second Earl Spencer, reputedly after he burned the tails of his coat at a fire and had the rest cut short. Spencer Tracy and Spencer Perceval, the only British prime minister to be assassinated, are among its bearers.
Spencer in Use
Birth records show Spencer stable, peaking in 1998, at 172 in England and Wales. It first appears in birth records in 1880. It belongs with Piper, Parker and Cooper among occupational surnames now used as given names — though unlike those it has stayed predominantly male.
How Popular Is Spencer?
In 2025, Spencer was given to 1,153 babies in the United States, ranking #360 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Spencer 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 Spencer
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Spencer Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Spencer over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Spencer is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 19% girls · 12,897 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 2% girls · 3,104 babies
- Canada Both 19% girls · 2,074 babies
- Scotland Boys' 5% girls · 217 babies
- France Both 24% girls · 185 babies
- Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 91 babies
- Northern Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 76 babies
How to Say Spencer
- English SPEN-sər /ˈspɛnsə/
1 nickname for Spencer
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.
Spencer 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 Spencer
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Spencer — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Spencer
What does the name Spencer mean?
Spencer means "steward" — the household officer who dispensed provisions from the pantry.
Is Spencer related to the word dispenser?
Directly. Spenser is a shortening of dispenser, from the Old French despensier.
Why is a spencer jacket called that?
After the second Earl Spencer, reputedly after he burned the tails of his coat at a fire and had the rest cut short.
How popular is the name Spencer?
In 2025, Spencer was given to 1,153 babies in the United States, ranking #360 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Spencer a girl's or a boy's name?
Spencer is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Spencer?
Spencer has 2 syllables.
When was Spencer most popular?
Spencer peaked in 1998, when 4,780 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Spencer?
Spencer is usually shortened to Spence.
Is Spencer a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Spencer currently ranks #164 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.