How to say it
SUM · mer
ˈsʌm.ɚ
Feminine
Summer
The summer season
What it means
English word name from the season, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root. As a given name it picked up in the 1970s alongside other word and nature names; The O.C.'s Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson, 2003-2007) gave it Gen-X-and-Y anchor.
Summer is straight from the English word for the season, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root sumar (cognate with Sanskrit sama, 'half-year'). As a given name Summer picked up in the 1970s as part of the broader virtue-and-nature-name wave (alongside Autumn, Dawn, April). The O.C.'s Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson, 2003-2007) gave it Gen-X-and-Y currency. Donna Summer the disco singer is the older anchor. As a given name it's been in the US top 200 since 2003. Single syllable in some American pronunciations (SUM-er) versus the standard two-syllable (SUM-mer).
How to spell Summer
The standard spelling is Summer. Common variants include Sommer, but Summer is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #119 in 1977, currently #152 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Donna Summer (the disco queen), The O.C.'s Summer Roberts, and 500 Days of Summer (the 2009 film with Zooey Deschanel's Summer Finn) are three different cultural anchors across the eras.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Donna Summer American disco singer, Hot Stuff and Last Dance, 1948-2012
- Summer Roberts Rachel Bilson's character in The O.C., 2003-2007
Spelling variants
- Sommer
Names with the same feeling
Common questions
- What does the name Summer mean?
- English word name from the season, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root. As a given name it picked up in the 1970s alongside other word and nature names; The O.C.'s Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson, 2003-2007) gave it Gen-X-and-Y anchor.
- What does Summer mean in English?
- In English, Summer means "The summer season." Summer is straight from the English word for the season, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root sumar (cognate with Sanskrit sama, 'half-year'). As a given name Summer picked up in the 1970s as part of the broader virtue-and-nature-name wave (alongside Autumn, Dawn, April). The O.C.'s Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson, 2003-2007) gave it Gen-X-and-Y currency. Donna Summer the disco singer is the older anchor. As a given name it's been in the US top 200 since 2003. Single syllable in some American pronunciations (SUM-er) versus the standard two-syllable (SUM-mer).
- How do you pronounce Summer?
- Summer is pronounced ˈsʌm.ɚ. Say it as SUM-mer, with the stress on the "sum" syllable.
- How do you spell Summer?
- The standard spelling is Summer. Common spelling variants include Sommer.
- Is Summer a boy or girl name?
- Summer is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Summer?
- Summer ranked #152 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.