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Squire

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Squire

Pronounced SKWY-er /ˈskwaɪ.ər/Medium

Meaning: Squire is an English title turned name, from the Old French escuier, a shield-bearer, itself from the Latin scutarius, from scutum, shield. A squire attended a knight and hoped one day to be knighted; the word later meant a local landowner. It also served as a surname before being used as a first name.Medium

In 30 seconds: Squire is an English title-name meaning a knight's shield-bearer or a country gentleman. A sturdy early-century choice, it was given to only a handful of boys a year.

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Origin MediumEnglish, French

MeaningSquire is an English title turned name, from the Old French escuier, a shield-bearer, itself from the Latin scutarius, from scutum, shield. A squire attended a knight and hoped one day to be knighted; the word later meant a local landowner. It also served as a surname before being used as a first name.

U.S. rank (1997)#10599 ↘ Falling

1997 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1918

Total births (all-time)≈ 511

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

Squire comes from the Old French escuier, a shield-bearer, from the Latin scutum, shield. In the age of chivalry a squire attended and trained under a knight, and the word later came to mean a respected country landowner. It became an English surname and then, in the fashion of word and surname names, a first name carried by a scattering of American boys.

Squire was never common, given to only a handful of boys a year around the late nineteen-tens, with a thin trail through the century. A man named Squire from that era belongs to a great-grandparent generation now.

Did you know? A squire once carried a knight's shield and armor, serving an apprenticeship in chivalry before he could earn knighthood himself.

Overall data confidence 60%

References - Squire — Old French escuier shield-bearer; title/surname/word-name

Variations

SquierSquyerEsquire

Nicknames

SquiWire

Famous Bearers

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Sawyer— a like occupational word-name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Squire mean?

It means a shield-bearer or young attendant to a knight, from the Old French escuier and Latin scutum, shield; it later meant a country gentleman.

How do you pronounce Squire?

It is said SKWY-er /ˈskwaɪ.ər/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Squire a boy or girl name?

Squire is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Squire?

It was always rare, given to only a handful of boys a year around the late nineteen-tens.