Hunter
Hunter is an English occupational surname turned first name, derived from the Old English word for one who hunts. It gained popularity as a given name in the late 20th century, reflecting a trend toward nature-inspired and action-oriented names.
Current Popularity
Popularity over time
Dashed bar: 2026 (projected): 2,675. How this is calculated
Yearly values
- 2011: 7,380
- 2012: 8,053
- 2013: 8,988
- 2014: 8,841
- 2015: 8,367
- 2016: 7,681
- 2017: 6,760
- 2018: 6,117
- 2019: 5,398
- 2020: 4,786
- 2021: 4,206
- 2022: 3,605
- 2023: 3,131
- 2024: 2,852
- 2025: 2,761
- 2026 (projected): 2,675
Good to Know
- •Easy to spell and pronounce across English-speaking countries
- •Strong, assertive sound that works well in professional settings
- •May be associated with outdoor activities and traditional masculinity
- •Very popular in the 1990s-2010s, so may be common among peers
Similar Names
Famous People
Hunter S. Thompson
Journalist and author
Hunter Hayes
Country music singer-songwriter
Hunter Parrish
Actor known for 'Weeds'
Hunter Biden
Lawyer and businessman
Statistics
262,238
Total births since 1880
2000
Peak year
Discovery
Keep browsing
Rising now
Browse trending names
Names that climbed the most between 2020 and 2025.
Always popular
Explore timeless classics
Names that have sat in the top 50 for decades.
For this gender
See all-time favorites
The most common names since 1880, by total births.
Stories
Read famous-name profiles
How well-known people changed the names they carried.
Guides
Browse recent articles
Recent articles on naming trends.