This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Commonly linked to German/Dutch 'Meyer' (a steward or tenant farmer), though separate English strands mean 'lake', 'physician', or 'mayor'
- Origin
- German/English (surname with multiple converging origins)
- Gender
- Neutral
- Pronunciation
- MY-er
Mayer is a unisex name pronounced MY-er (/ˈmaıər/), rooted in a German/English surname with more than one origin story. Its most documented meaning traces to the German/Dutch 'Meyer,' referring to a steward or tenant farmer, but separate English-origin strands of the name relate instead to 'lake,' 'physician,' or 'mayor.' So if you've come across Mayer defined simply as 'farmer' or 'one who works the land,' that's only accurate for the German/Dutch strand — not the whole story behind the name.
Meaning & Origin of Mayer
Meaning: Commonly linked to German/Dutch 'Meyer' (a steward or tenant farmer), though separate English strands mean 'lake', 'physician', or 'mayor'.
Origin: German/English (surname with multiple converging origins).
A common claim: Said to mean 'farmer' or 'one who works the land' Actually: The 'farmer' meaning applies only to the German/Dutch strand of this surname (via Meyer); separate English-origin strands of 'Mayer' relate to 'lake', 'physician', or 'mayor' instead.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Mayer
MY-erIPA /ˈmaɪər/
Popularity of Mayer
Social Security data on Mayer goes back to 1912, and the name has stayed rare throughout: it peaked at #1757 in 2021 with 92 babies, then eased slightly to #1840 in 2024 with 88.
Names Like Mayer
These names share Mayer’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Mayer mean?
Commonly linked to German/Dutch ‘Meyer’ (a steward or tenant farmer), though separate English strands mean ‘lake’, ‘physician’, or ‘mayor’. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Mayer?
Mayer is pronounced MY-er (IPA: /ˈmaɪər/).
Is Mayer a popular name right now?
Mayer is near its all-time peak (#1757 in 2021), ranked #1840 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1912–2024.)
Make Mayer Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Mayer, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Mayer? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
