Lamar means the sea — from the Old French la mer. Kendrick Lamar is the most important rapper of his generation and won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Lamar Jackson is one of the NFL's most electrifying quarterbacks. Hedy Lamarr invented frequency-hopping technology that became the basis for Wi-Fi. Two syllables of French ocean, Pulitzer hip-hop, and the invention of wireless internet.
Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for Music — the first rapper.
Lamar Jackson is one of the NFL's most electrifying players.
Hedy Lamarr invented the technology behind Wi-Fi.
Two syllables with a smooth, French sound: lah-MAR.
The meaning the sea is elementally powerful.
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The vibe of Lamar
the seaKendrickPulitzerJacksonLamarrWi-FiFrenchMVP
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Origin & history of Lamar
Old French la mer (the sea)→surname Lamar→given name
1
Modern American roots
Lamar comes from the Old French la mer meaning the sea. Kendrick Lamar is the most acclaimed rapper of his generation — the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Lamar Jackson won NFL MVP. Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000) co-invented frequency-hopping technology that became the basis for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: French surname; Kendrick Lamar (born 1987).
3
Today
Lamar remains a beloved choice, ranking #1132 in the US. 35,111 babies have been named Lamar since 1882.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Lamar?
1989peak year
The name Lamar reached its peak in 1989, with 737 registrations (ranked #325). It had been quietly building for over half a century before that, first appearing in records in 1882. Since the peak, the name has eased to well outside the top 1,000 (around #1132) today, averaging about 219 new babies per year. Lamar has been declining in recent years. Across all years on record, approximately 35,111 American babies have carried this name.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Lamar's Life Path 1 is the leader's number — sea-level leadership. People named Lamar tend to be deep, electrifying, and gifted at inventing things that change the world.
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