Palmer (given name)
Palm Sunday by Victorine-Louise Meurent. | |
| Pronunciation | UK: /ˈpɑːmər/ US: /ˈpɑːlmər/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Unisex |
| Language(s) | English |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Old French |
| Word/name | palmier |
| Meaning | 'palm bearer, pilgrim' |
| Other names | |
| See also | Palmer (surname) |
Palmer is a unisex given name that is a transferred use of a surname meaning palm bearer or pilgrim. Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land traditionally carried the palms.
The name can also be given in reference to the palms that are traditionally carried by Christians on the Sunday before Easter Sunday. The palms from the previous year are burned and the ashes are used to smudge the foreheads of worshippers attending Ash Wednesday services during Holy Week in some Christian churches as a physical reminder of their mortality.