Mortimer Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Mortimer originates from Old French, meaning 'dead sea'. It has evolved through historical forms such as Old French and Middle English. The name is linked to noble lineage and has biblical relevance. While it is not widely used today, it carries an image of antiquity and sophistication.
The name Mortimer is most popular in New York, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the G.I. Generation generation in the Northeast region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Mortimer has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast. Across generations, 'Mortimer' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 732nd out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 1677th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 3402nd out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 6839th out of 10718 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 14787th out of 23106 names. Discover how the name 'Mortimer' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Mortimer"
Pronunciation
/ˈmɔːrtɪmər/
Origin
Old French
Etymology
The name Mortimer is derived from the Old French 'mort' meaning 'dead' and 'mer' meaning 'sea', thus translating to 'dead sea'. It originally referred to a location in France.
Meaning
dead sea
Language Evolution
Mortimer (Old French), Mortimer (Middle English), Mortimer (Modern English)
Historical Usage
The name gained popularity in England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, as it was brought over by the Normans and became associated with prominent families.
Variants & Derivatives
Morty, Mort, Morte
Modern Popularity & Image
Today, Mortimer is seen as an old-fashioned name, often associated with nobility or literary characters, and it is not commonly used as a first name.
Famous People
Mortimer Adler, Mortimer J. Adler, Mortimer Zuckerman
Explore More Mortimer Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Mortimer"
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 "Mortimer"
"Mortimer" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 732nd of 7545 | 1,250 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 1677th of 6773 | 329 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 3402nd of 7552 | 108 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 6839th of 10718 | 29 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 14787th of 23106 | 29 |
Regional Popularity of "Mortimer" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
65.54% 928th/1416 |
23.42% 323rd/1379 |
- | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- |
41.52% 646th/1556 |
- | - |
| 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) |
- | - | - | - |
Regional Popularity of "Mortimer" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| 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 "Mortimer"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Mortimer" 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.