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The short answer
Spencer is a unisex name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname that meant ‘dispenser of provisions’, derived from Middle English spense ‘larder, pantry’. A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967)." It ranked #360 for boys and #1025 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname that meant ‘dispenser of provisions’, derived from Middle English spense ‘larder, pantry’. A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Spencer ranked #360 for boys and #1025 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (boys) | 2025 | #360 | ssa-2025 |
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #1025 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #360 (Social Security Administration)
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Spencer in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Spencer mean?
Spencer means "dispenser of provisions", according to Behind the Name.
Is Spencer a popular name?
Spencer ranked #360 for boys and #1025 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Spencer a boy's or a girl's name?
Spencer appears in both the boys' and girls' SSA lists for 2025, so it is used for both.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Spencer — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
