Meir is a Hebrew name meaning "one who shines" or "giver of light", from the root or, light. It was borne by the great second-century sage Rabbi Meir of the Mishnah and is a traditional choice in Orthodox Jewish families; Israeli prime minister Golda Meir carried it as a surname. Meir climbed from number 2213 in 2000 into the US top 1000 in 2022, peaked at number 908 in 2024 and stands at number 948 among boys' names in 2025.