מאיר
Meir means “one who gives light”
Meir is a boy's name of Talmudic origin.
Rabbi Meir was one of the leading sages of the Mishnah.
- In Hebrew
- מאיר
- In English letters
- Meir
- Other English spellings
- Meyer, Mayer
- Meaning
- One who gives light
- Origin
- Talmudic
- Given to
- Boys
- Themes
- Light and sky
- Gematria value
- 251
33,974 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Meir.
- 5 of them are women and girls, and 33,969 are men and boys.
- 704 of them were born in 1958, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 2,827, against 2,443 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is about the same.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Meir is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling מאיר today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish girls | 5 | 0 | – |
| Jewish boys | 33,969 | 562 | 29 of 541 |
| Muslim boys | 15 | 0 | – |
In 2024, Meir ranked 29 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Meir in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Meir.
What does the name Meir mean?
Meir means “one who gives light”. Meir is a boy's name of Talmudic origin. Rabbi Meir was one of the leading sages of the Mishnah.
Is Meir a boy's name or a girl's name?
Meir is mainly a boy's name. Of the 33,974 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 5 are women and girls and 33,969 are men and boys.
How do you write Meir in Hebrew?
Meir is written מאיר in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Meir?
33,974 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Meir today. The most were born in 1958. In 2024, Meir ranked 29 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.