Luther
Luther was the 1464th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 122 babies. Its best year was 1887, when it ranked 63rd; the most babies were born in 1922 (1,477). Over the last ten years it has moved up 158 places. More babies were named Luther in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning "people" + "army" · German, Germanic
Say it LOO-ther /ˈluθər/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,464 boys, up 45 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 122boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19221,477 babies
- Total since 1880
- 67,421babies recorded
What does the name Luther mean?
Luther is a German surname, which in the US became a first name given in honor of the reformer Martin Luther (1483–1546) and later of Martin Luther King Jr. DMNES traces the medieval name to Old High German liut, "people", and heri, "army", and notes that Luther himself sometimes Hellenized it with Greek eleutheros, "free". It was also confused with Lothar. A separate English surname Luther comes from a word for a lute player.
liut (Old High German, “people”)heri (Old High German, “army, host”)
How sure is this? Probable. The Germanic "people + army" origin is the standard view; Luther's own link to Greek "free" was wordplay.
Other explanations you may read: Luther means 'free' (Greek eleutheros).
Related names: Lothar, Lothario.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean warrior.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Luther', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Luther', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Luther (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Luther popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 435 since 1907.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,464 | 122 |
| 2020 | #1,509 | 112 |
| 2010 | #1,934 | 73 |
| 2000 | #1,268 | 103 |
| 1990 | #767 | 176 |
| 1980 | #610 | 206 |
| 1970 | #441 | 345 |
| 1960 | #340 | 528 |
| 1950 | #237 | 761 |
| 1940 | #177 | 824 |
| 1930 | #148 | 1,109 |
| 1920 | #123 | 1,379 |
| 1910 | #87 | 383 |
| 1900 | #82 | 316 |
| 1890 | #71 | 253 |
| 1880 | #64 | 260 |
How popular is Luther, counting every spelling?
Luther has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #1,383 for boys in 2025, against #1,464 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Luther?
122 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Luther (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Luther born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 69 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Luther.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Luther?
About 19,900 people born in the US named Luther are alive today, with a median age of 63; half are between 44 and 76. That makes Luther a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Luther by state
How common Luther was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Minnesota (3.0×). In 33 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Luther: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Luther, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Luther · Sibling names for Luther
Questions about the name Luther
What does Luther mean?
Luther means “"people" + "army"” (German, Germanic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Luther?
Luther was the 1464th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 122 babies. Its best year was 1887, when it ranked 63rd; the most babies were born in 1922 (1,477). Over the last ten years it has moved up 158 places. More babies were named Luther in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Luther a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Luther in the US.
Where is Luther most popular?
In 2021–2025, Luther was most common in Minnesota (0.21 per 1,000 boys), followed by Oklahoma and Virginia.