Simon: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Girl name origins & meanings

French : God is heard

Girl name variations

Boy name origins & meanings

Hebrew : He who hears

What does Simon mean and stand for?

The name Simon is of Hebrew origin and means "he who hears." It is derived from the Greek simos, meaning "flat nosed," and was readily apparent in Greek mythology before becoming a large part of the Bible.

Syllables: 2

Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish (Simón), Czech and Slovak (Šimon), Slovenian, Hungarian, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) : from the personal name, Hebrew Shim‘on, which is probably derived from the verb sham‘a ‘to hearken’. In the Vulgate and in many vernacular versions of the Old Testament, this is usually rendered Simeon. In the Greek New Testament, however, the name occurs as Simōn, as a result of assimilation to the pre-existing Greek byname Sīmōn (from sīmos ‘snub-nosed’). Both Simon and Simeon were in use as personal names in western Europe from the Middle Ages onward. In Christendom the former was always more popular, at least in part because of its associations with the apostle Simon Peter, the brother of Andrew. In Britain there was also confusion from an early date with Anglo-Scandinavian forms of Sigmund (see Siegmund), a name whose popularity was reinforced at the Conquest by the Norman form Simund.
The earliest documented bearer of the surname Simon in New France came from the Saintonge region of France and was in Montreal by 1655. Another, from Paris, is recorded in Quebec City in 1659 with the secondary surname Lapointe.

Famous people with this last name

Paul Simon

Carly Simon

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Marlon Brando

Phil Collins

What Does the Name Simon Mean?

The name Simon is both Hebrew and Greek and can mean "flat-nosed" or "he has heard." It is an Old Testament and New Testament name that tends to be used less than others. Simon is the more modern spelling of Simeon.

How Popular is the Name Simon?

Simon is the number 247 most popular boys name in the US, according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. It has been fairly stagnant, staying within 20 ranks of 247 since 2000.

However, it is the 27th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

Popularity of the Name Simon in the United States

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Simon was at its peak popularity in March 2018.

Simon was searched for most often in the following states:

Vermont
Delaware
Alaska
Arizona
Massachussetts

Famous People Named Simon and Simon in Pop Culture

An Old and New Testament name, Simon has been around for centuries. In the Bible, Simon originally had the name Saint Peter and was the son of Jacob and Leah. Other Simons in the Bible include Simon the Zealot and Simon Magus. Not to mention, Simon Bolivar is historically known as the liberator of Latin America. Of course, there are more modern namesakes such as actor Simon Baker, music producer and TV personality Simon Cowell, English producer Simon Fuller, actor Simon Helberg, singer Simon John Charles Le Bon, musician Simon Townshend, and singer Simon Jonathon Gallup to name a few. Simon has also been a very popular pop culture choice, appearing in Firefly, Carry One, Lord of the Flies, Uncle Tom's Cabin, 7th Heaven, and Frasier among many others.