Luther Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Luther is a German name meaning 'people's army,' originating from the Old High German 'Liuthar.' It evolved through various forms and gained prominence in the 16th century due to Martin Luther's impact on religion. The name conveys traits of strength and leadership, with no direct biblical relevance.
The name Luther is most popular in Mississippi, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the G.I. Generation generation in the South region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Luther has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, too falling for male in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West. Across generations, 'Luther' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 118th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 172nd out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 291st out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 484th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 753rd out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 1580th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 1554th out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 2661st out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 3005th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 6826th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 14367th out of 19264 names. Discover how the name 'Luther' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Luther"
Pronunciation
/ˈluːθər/
Origin
German
Etymology
The name Luther is derived from the Germanic element 'liut,' meaning 'people,' and 'heri,' meaning 'army.' It is often associated with the German Reformer Martin Luther.
Meaning
people's army
Language Evolution
Old High German: Liuthar, Middle High German: Liuther, Modern German: Luther
Historical Usage
The name gained popularity in the 16th century due to Martin Luther's role in the Protestant Reformation, which made it a prominent name in Christian communities.
Variants & Derivatives
Lutheran, Luthar, Luthers
Modern Popularity & Image
Today, Luther is viewed as a strong and traditional name, often associated with leadership and reform.
Famous People
Martin Luther, Luther Vandross, Luther Burbank
Explore More Luther Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Luther"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Luther"
"Luther" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 118th of 7545 | 23,236 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 172nd of 6773 | 16,062 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 291st of 7552 | 12,061 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 484th of 10718 | 4,519 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 753rd of 16616 | 2,665 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 1580th of 24088 | 1,397 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 1554th of 23106 | 1,319 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 2661st of 9107 | 200 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 3005th of 9204 | 165 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 6826th of 12526 | 54 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 14367th of 19264 | 16 |
Regional Popularity of "Luther" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
14.83% 210th/1416 |
16.82% 232nd/1379 |
2.58% 61st/2366 |
30.47% 348th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
17.72% 274th/1546 |
18.51% 288th/1556 |
4.38% 103rd/2353 |
26.83% 415th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
15.99% 356th/2227 |
16.95% 412th/2430 |
7.47% 213th/2853 |
17.80% 494th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
17.71% 520th/2937 |
17.46% 608th/3483 |
10.66% 375th/3518 |
18.10% 732nd/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
21.30% 785th/3685 |
24.13% 1080th/4475 |
11.69% 607th/5194 |
18.57% 1173rd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
38.72% 1774th/4582 |
56.41% 2913th/5164 |
18.73% 1370th/7313 |
33.03% 2465th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
36.87% 1469th/3984 |
51.28% 2301st/4487 |
23.81% 1624th/6822 |
26.53% 1665th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Luther" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - |
100.00% 2366th/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Luther"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Luther" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.