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Home › Baby Names Directory › Truman

Truman

♂ Boy

Pronounced TROO-muhn /ˈtɹu.mən/Medium

Meaning: Trusty manMedium

In 30 seconds: Truman is an English name meaning 'trusty man' — a faithful, dependable person. It began as a surname before becoming a given name.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningTrusty man
U.S. rank (2025)#1553 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births111 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1945
Total births (all-time)≈ 15,946

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 194518802025

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

The name joins the English words for true and man to mean 'trusty man,' the sort of name once given to someone known for loyalty. It came into use first as a surname and later as a first name. Author Truman Capote is among its best-known bearers.

Truman's plain, sturdy meaning matches its solid two-syllable sound. As a surname-turned-first-name, it has a slightly formal, all-American character.

Did you know? Truman 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 - Truman — 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

  • ★Truman Capote (1924–1984)
    American author.

If you like Truman…

Truitt— shares Truman's English Tru- root signalling trustworthiness
Norman— an English surname-name with the same -man ending as Truman
Tylan— shares the -an ending
Talan— shares Truman's English roots
Coleman— another English name

Explore names like Truman

By themeenglishsurname-style

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Truman mean?

Truman is usually explained as meaning 'trusty man' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Truman?

It's commonly said TROO-muhn /ˈtɹu.mən/.

Is Truman a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Truman?

In 2024, Truman ranked #1811 in the U.S. for boys, with 90 births recorded.

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