Gunnar
How to say it: GUN-ur · /ˈɡʌnər/
From Old Norse 'Gunnarr', composed of 'gunnr' (war) and 'arr' (warrior); name of a legendary Norse hero.
Gunnar was the 330th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 462 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are down about 56% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #454 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #330 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 462 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,130 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | −56% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #454 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Gunnar reached its high in the 2010s and has held on well. It stays close to peak form today, even as the near future points toward a slight fall.
What goes with it
Crisp at the start and softer underneath, Gunnar feels strong. Axel and Ryker sit in a similar lane.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Gunnar is about 1 in 131.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
Famous people named Gunnar
- Gunnar Myrdal (1898–1987)Swedish economist
- Gunnar Nordahl (1921–1995)Swedish association football player
- Gunnar Gren (1920–1991)Swedish footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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