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Home › Baby Names Directory › Luther

Luther

♂ Boy

Pronounced LOO-thuhr /ˈlu.θəɹ/Medium

Meaning: Army of the people (Germanic origin)Medium

In 30 seconds: Luther is a name of Germanic origin meaning 'army of the people'.
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Origin MediumGerman, English
MeaningArmy of the people (Germanic origin)
U.S. rank (2025)#1464 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births122 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1922
Total births (all-time)≈ 66,984

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192218802025

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

Its roots are Germanic, carrying the meaning 'army of the people'. The name is widely associated with figures in English-speaking history and culture, and it has a sturdy, dignified ring.

A celebrated bearer is the singer Luther Vandross, the R&B and soul artist known for hits such as Never Too Much.

Did you know? Luther likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Luther — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Luther Vandross (1951–2005)
    American R&B and soul singer celebrated for hits such as Never Too Much and a string of platinum albums.

If you like Luther…

Walter— another Germanic name built on the 'army, ruler' theme
Lester— shares Luther's English roots
Turner— a fellow English choice
Kartier— shares Luther's English roots
Thatcher— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Luther

By themeenglishsurname-style
By meaningWarrior

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Luther mean?

Luther is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Luther?

It's commonly said LOO-thuhr /ˈlu.θəɹ/.

Is Luther a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Luther is used as a boy name.

How popular is Luther?

In 2024, Luther ranked #1499 in the U.S. for boys, with 119 births recorded.

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