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Draper
How to Pronounce Draper
Pronounced DRAY-per /ˈdreɪ.pər/High
Meaning: Draper is an occupational surname turned first name, from the Old French drapier, 'one who makes or deals in cloth (drap)'; as a given name it means, literally, 'cloth-merchant'.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Draper began as an English occupational surname, from the Old French drapier, a maker or seller of cloth (drap). Like Tanner, Cooper and Weaver, it slid over into use as a given name.
As a first name it kept to small numbers, cresting quietly around 1980. The surname-name trend and the later fame of a fictional Draper have kept it faintly familiar, but it remains an uncommon, handsome choice.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Don Draper (fictional)The central advertising executive of the television series Mad Men (2007–2015).
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Draper mean?
Draper is an occupational surname meaning 'maker or seller of cloth', from Old French drapier.
How do you pronounce Draper?
It's said DRAY-per /ˈdreɪ.pər/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Draper a boy or girl name?
Draper is used mainly as a boy's name.
How popular is Draper?
Draper is an uncommon surname-style name that has seen modest, quiet use.