unisex name
Timber
TIM-ber (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 2,428
Timber is a unisex nature name taken from the English word for wood used in building. It's an Old English word related to the verb timbran, "to build," and American records list it from 1970, with regular use since the 1980s, more often for girls.
- Timber is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2021, when 132 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 45,417 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1970.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Timber Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 24 |
| 1980s | 100 |
| 1990s | 320 |
| 2000s | 426 |
| 2010s | 917 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 610 |
What Timber Means
Timber means wood prepared for building, or standing trees grown for that purpose. As a name it suggests the outdoors and rugged strength, and it's a close relative of the more traditional Forest.
Where Timber Comes From
Old English timber meant both building material and a building, and it's linked to timbran, to build, once the main Old English verb for building. The same Germanic root gave German Zimmer, room. Over time the English word settled on wood itself, and the loggers' cry of timber! warns of a falling tree. Its use as a given name began in the United States in the 1970s, when nature names were fresh, and its sound brought it close to names such as Amber and Kimber.
Timber in Use
Parents who like Timber tend to favor outdoor names such as River and Forest. The nickname Tim gives boys an ordinary everyday option.
How Popular Is Timber?
In 2025, Timber was given to 73 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Timber 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 Timber
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Timber Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Timber over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Timber
- English TIM-ber
1 nickname for Timber
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 Timber
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Timber — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Timber
What does the name Timber mean?
Wood for building, from an Old English word.
Is Timber a boy's or a girl's name?
It's used for both, and more often for girls overall.
Is Timber a real name?
Yes. It's been in American birth records since 1970.
How popular is the name Timber?
In 2025, Timber was given to 73 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
How many syllables are in Timber?
Timber has 2 syllables.
When was Timber most popular?
Timber peaked in 2021, when 132 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Timber?
Timber is usually shortened to Tim.
Is Timber a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Timber currently ranks #3,486 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.