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Home › Baby Names Directory › Hilmar

Hilmar

♂ Boy

Pronounced HIL-mar /ˈhɪlmɑr/Medium

Meaning: Hilmar comes from the Germanic elements hild, 'battle,' or helm, 'helmet, protection,' joined with mar, 'famous, renowned.' It reads as 'famous in battle' or 'famous protector,' and survives as a given name in German, Icelandic and other Scandinavian usage.Low

In 30 seconds: Hilmar is a Germanic and Scandinavian name meaning 'famous protector.' Brought by immigrants, it stayed rare in the U.S. and peaked around 1917 (said HIL-mar).
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Origin MediumGermanic, Scandinavian
MeaningHilmar comes from the Germanic elements hild, 'battle,' or helm, 'helmet, protection,' joined with mar, 'famous, renowned.' It reads as 'famous in battle' or 'famous protector,' and survives as a given name in German, Icelandic and other Scandinavian usage.
U.S. rank (1945)#3516 ↘ Falling
1945 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1917
Total births (all-time)≈ 170

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191719121945

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

Hilmar is an old Germanic and Scandinavian name from hild or helm, 'battle' or 'helmet, protection,' plus mar, 'famous.' It reads as 'famous protector.' In the United States it appears mainly among German and Scandinavian immigrant families in the early twentieth century, part of the sturdy heritage names they carried over.

It was always rare here, given to only about sixteen boys a year at its peak around 1917, and largely stayed within immigrant communities. A boy named Hilmar then would be a great-grandfather today.

Did you know? Hilmar remains a living name in Iceland, where -mar names like Hilmar, Ingimar and Valdimar keep the old 'famous' element alive far more than in the English-speaking world.
Overall data confidence 48%
References - Hilmar — Germanic helm/hild + mar, 'famous protector'; German/Scandinavian heritage name

Variations

HilmerHilmarkHjalmar

Nicknames

HilMar

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hilmar…

Gunnar— a like Norse heritage boy's name
Valdemar— a like old Germanic -mar name
Osmar— lands in the same popularity range
Einar— another Scandinavian name
Aymar— a fellow Germanic choice

Explore names like Hilmar

By themerareheritagegermanicscandinavian

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hilmar mean?

It comes from the Germanic helm or hild plus mar, reading as 'famous protector' or 'famous in battle.'

How do you pronounce Hilmar?

It is said HIL-mar /ˈhɪlmɑr/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Hilmar a boy or girl name?

Hilmar is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Hilmar?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about sixteen boys a year at its peak in the nineteen-tens.

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