Lamar

Lamar is a given name derived from a French and English surname, which itself originated from a place name in Normandy. The place name comes from the Old French phrase la mare, meaning "the pool" or "the pond." This geographical surname was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. As a given name, Lamar gained significant popularity in the African-American community during the second half of the 20th century, partly due to phonetic components la and mar, which are common elements in many modern invented African-American names. Variant forms include Lamarr, and similar names sharing the same origin or phonetic style include Lamont and Lamarion.

Etymology and History

The surname Lamar is of Norman origin, thought to derive from a place called La Mare or similar in Normandy, France. The Old French word mare means a pool of water or a marsh. After the Norman Conquest, many families bearing the surname settled in England. Examples of bearers such as L.Q.C. Lamar, a prominent 19th-century American politician who served as a U.S. Senator and Supreme Court Justice, cemented the name in American public life.

Notable Bearers

Numerous notable individuals bear the given name Lamar. Lamar Alexander (born 1940) served as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee and as Secretary of Education. Lamar Dodd (1909–1996) was an influential American painter and art educator. In music, Lamar Campbell (born 1964) is a gospel artist, while in sports, a host of professional athletes are named Lamar, including Lamar Chapman and Lamar Holmes in football (American football). The name also appears within the NBA: examples include Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, though Lamar Odom (born 1979) is a prominent basketball player. Known for playing in the NFL, Lamar Miller and Hardy Nickerson are also examples. Among more general cultural touchpoints, Lamar, Texas is a city named after Mirabeau B. Lamar. Beaked morphological variants like Lamarr appear with the bearing of actress Hedy Lamarr, though as that figure is female this may fall among surnames.

Cultural Significance

Lamar carries strong associations with African-American culture, due to its high popularity there. One reason involves how Moderns have used the sonic value of prefixes la - which suggest "the" and a source of dignity within names beginning "La+". It suffused American usage initially among communities desirous to break with traditional Anglo monikers. Similar dynamics influence how Laquean, Lawless, Landslide, Lateef sat in certain epochs within more cutting-edge usage. Hence full ranks with usage concerning generational shifts; after which continued presence best forked earlier name Lamar recorded long 200—202 past low <100 limit references.

distribution

• Means "descendant/h which" family variant – unburdened on prior original or current pools additional meaning from linkage onward