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Turner

♂ Boy

Pronounced TUR-ner /ˈtɜːr.nər/High

Meaning: One who works a lathe; from Old French torneor (lathe operator), from torner (to turn on a lathe)High

In 30 seconds: An English occupational surname meaning 'one who works a lathe,' from Old French torneor. Like Cooper, Parker, and Carter, Turner follows the American pattern of trade surnames becoming first names — in this case carrying the prestige of Turner Broadcasting and the painter J.M.W. Turner.

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Origin HighEnglish, French

MeaningOne who works a lathe; from Old French torneor (lathe operator), from torner (to turn on a lathe)

U.S. rank (2025)#1107 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births195 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2019

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,989

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

Turner is an English occupational surname from Old French torneor (one who turns, a lathe operator). Turners crafted wooden objects on lathes — bowls, chair legs, spindles. As a given name it follows the occupational surname-to-first-name tradition.

Turner entered U.S. boys' charts in the 2010s. It ranked #1006 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) is considered one of the greatest landscape painters in British history — his luminous, almost abstract later works (Rain, Steam and Speed, 1844) anticipate Impressionism by decades and earned him the title 'the painter of light.'

Overall data confidence 93%

Behind the Name — Turner — Old French etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

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Nicknames

Turn

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If you like Turner…

Cooper— occupational surname name (barrel maker) in the same confident register

Carter— occupational surname name at the same confidence and popularity level

Roper— occupational -er surname name in the same trade-name category

Thatcher— shares Turner's English roots

Kartier— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Turner

By themeenglish two-syllable french surname-style occupational artistic

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Turner mean?

Turner means 'one who works a lathe,' from Old French torneor (lathe operator). It is an occupational surname.

How do you pronounce Turner?

It's said TUR-ner — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Turner a boy or girl name?

Turner is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Turner?

Turner ranked #1006 for U.S. boys in 2024.