Minor

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Minor

Pronounced MY-ner /ˈmaɪ.nɚ/High

Meaning: Minor is a surname and word-name from Latin minor, 'lesser, younger'. As an English surname it often marked a younger son or branch; used as a first name in the early twentieth century, it belongs to the surname-as-given-name tradition.Low

In 30 seconds: Minor is a surname and word-name from Latin minor, 'lesser, younger', used as a first name (said 'MY-ner').

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Origin LowLatin, English

MeaningMinor is a surname and word-name from Latin minor, 'lesser, younger'. As an English surname it often marked a younger son or branch; used as a first name in the early twentieth century, it belongs to the surname-as-given-name tradition.

U.S. rank (2015)#13398 ↘ Falling

2015 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1920

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,728

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

Minor is a surname and word-name rooted in Latin minor, 'lesser, younger'. Like many surnames it saw some use as a given name in the early twentieth century, part of the era's fondness for turning family names into first names.

It was always uncommon as a first name and grew scarcer through the century. It reads today as an antique surname-name rather than a familiar given name, and has not revived.

Did you know? Minor comes from the Latin word for 'lesser' or 'younger' — as a surname it often distinguished a younger son, and it carried into first-name use a century ago.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Minor — surname/word-name; Latin minor 'lesser, younger'

Variations

Minor

Nicknames

Min

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If you like Minor…

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Monroe— another surname used as a given name of the era

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Minor mean?

Minor comes from Latin minor, 'lesser' or 'younger', used as a surname and given name.

How do you pronounce Minor?

It's said MY-ner /ˈmaɪ.nɚ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Minor a boy or girl name?

Minor is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Minor?

Minor was always uncommon as a first name and is a genuine early-twentieth-century antique.