Meyer has two sources: as a Jewish given name it is the Yiddish form of the Hebrew Meir and means "one who gives light" or "enlightener", and as a German surname it comes from the Latin maior, a "steward" or farm manager. In the United States it is used mainly in Jewish families, often after a grandfather. Meyer has edged up from number 3268 in 2000 to number 1690 in 2023 and ranks number 1693 among boys in 2025.