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Home › Baby Names Directory › Sawyer

Sawyer

♀ Girl

Pronounced SAW-yer /ˈsɔːjər/High

Meaning: One who saws wood; a woodcutter or sawyer by tradeHigh

In 30 seconds: A strong English occupational name meaning 'woodcutter.' Once almost exclusively for boys, Sawyer is now one of the most successful gender-crossover names — strong, literary, and completely at home on a girl with an adventurous spirit.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningOne who saws wood; a woodcutter or sawyer by trade
U.S. rank (2025)#291 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births1,056 girls (0.07% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2018
Total births (all-time)≈ 18,333

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201819862025

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

Sawyer is an English occupational surname from Middle English saghier (one who saws), denoting a person who sawed timber by hand or with a pit-saw. Woodcutters and sawyers were essential tradespeople in the construction and shipbuilding industries of medieval England.

As a given name, Sawyer began as a boys' name inspired by Tom Sawyer and gained momentum in the late 20th century. In the 21st century, it crossed to girls — partly through the character Sawyer in TV drama — and now ranks in the top 100 for girls in the United States.

Did you know? Tom Sawyer, the hero of Mark Twain's 1876 novel, is one of America's most beloved literary characters — his name has made Sawyer synonymous with resourcefulness, mischief, and the spirit of American boyhood (and increasingly, girlhood).
Overall data confidence 95%
Behind the Name — Sawyer — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

Sawyere

Nicknames

SawSayer

Famous Bearers

  • ★Tom Sawyer (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) (1876)
    Fictional hero of Mark Twain's 1876 novel, one of the most beloved characters in American literature.

If you like Sawyer…

Harper— English occupational surname with the same successful gender-crossover for girls
Quinn— Irish surname name with the same crisp gender-neutral confidence
Blair— Scottish surname name with the same strong, adventurous unisex spirit
Emery— English occupational surname with the same polished, rising-for-girls energy

Explore names like Sawyer

By themeenglishsurname-nameliteraryoccupationalunisex-trending
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Frequently Asked

What does the name Sawyer mean?

Sawyer is a Middle English occupational surname meaning 'one who saws wood' — a woodcutter or timber-worker.

How do you pronounce Sawyer?

It is said SAW-yer /ˈsɔːjər/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Sawyer a boy or girl name?

Sawyer was traditionally a boys' name but is now more popular for girls in the U.S., having crossed the gender line in the 2010s.

How popular is Sawyer?

Sawyer entered the U.S. top 100 for girls in the 2020s and remains in the top 200 for boys.

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