Norman
Norman was the 1200th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 169 babies. Its best year was 1931, when it ranked 36th; the most babies were born in 1928 (5,590). Over the last ten years it has moved up 37 places. More babies were named Norman in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Meaning man from the north; a Norman · Old English, Old French, Germanic
Say it NOR-mun /ˈnɔɹmən/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,200 boys, down 72 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 169boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19285,590 babies
- Total since 1880
- 254,762babies recorded
What does the name Norman mean?
Norman comes from Old English Norþman and Old French Normant, 'man from the north', a term for Scandinavians and for the Vikings who settled Normandy, as DMNES and Wiktionary note. DMNES records it as a personal name in England from 1189. It was used in the Middle Ages, faded, and was revived in the 19th century; it became especially common in Scotland and in the US in the early 20th century.
norþ (Old English, “north”)mann (Old English, “man”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Norm, Norma, Normand.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Norman', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Norman', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Nicknames for Norman
The usual nicknames for Norman are Norm.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norm | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Normans go by each one.
Norman popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 1,602 since 1893.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,200 | 169 |
| 2020 | #1,128 | 174 |
| 2010 | #1,212 | 147 |
| 2000 | #663 | 271 |
| 1990 | #470 | 444 |
| 1980 | #286 | 725 |
| 1970 | #181 | 1,522 |
| 1960 | #132 | 2,700 |
| 1950 | #90 | 3,641 |
| 1940 | #48 | 4,576 |
| 1930 | #40 | 5,289 |
| 1920 | #47 | 4,109 |
| 1910 | #63 | 557 |
| 1900 | #83 | 316 |
| 1890 | #108 | 156 |
| 1880 | #133 | 102 |
How popular is Norman, counting every spelling?
Norman has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #1,143 for boys in 2025, against #1,200 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Norman?
169 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Norman (0.05 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Norman 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 50 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Norman.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Norman?
About 86,600 people born in the US named Norman are alive today, with a median age of 68; half are between 56 and 78. That makes Norman 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.
Norman by state
How common Norman was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Michigan (2.3×), Ohio (2.3×), Pennsylvania (2.3×), Minnesota (2.2×), Wisconsin (2.0×). In 28 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 Norman: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Norman, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Norman · Sibling names for Norman
Questions about the name Norman
What does Norman mean?
Norman means “man from the north; a Norman” (Old English, Old French, Germanic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Norman?
Norman was the 1200th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 169 babies. Its best year was 1931, when it ranked 36th; the most babies were born in 1928 (5,590). Over the last ten years it has moved up 37 places. More babies were named Norman in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Is Norman a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Norman in the US.
Where is Norman most popular?
In 2021–2025, Norman was most common in Montana (0.28 per 1,000 boys), followed by South Dakota and Michigan.