Spenser
Spenser is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Dispenser of provisions or steward.
Origin and history
Spenser is a variant spelling of Spencer, an English occupational surname originally referring to a dispenser of provisions or administrator of a household. It gained popularity as a given name in the United States alongside the broader trend of using surname-derived names. While less common than the 'c' spelling, Spenser maintains a steady presence in U.S. naming records.
Popularity in the United States
2,991 babies in the United States have been named Spenser since 1880. It ranks #2364 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1877.
States where it is most popular
- CA (20.9 %)
- TX (8.3 %)
- FL (6.3 %)
- MI (5.3 %)
- IN (5.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 0 |
| 1950-1960 | 0 |
| 1960-1970 | 6 |
| 1970-1980 | 38 |
| 1980-1990 | 974 |
| 1990-2000 | 1,390 |
| 2000-2010 | 427 |
| 2010-2019 | 106 |
| 2020-2029 | 50 |
Nicknames
Spence, Spenny
Fun facts
- The spelling with an 's' is often associated with Edmund Spenser, the famous 16th-century English poet who wrote The Faerie Queene.
- It derived from the Middle English word 'spenser', which was a shortened form of 'dispenser'.