Houston
Houston was the 675th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 402 babies. Its best year was 1901, when it ranked 319th; the most babies were born in 2021 (440). Over the last ten years it has moved up 177 places. More babies were named Houston in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Hugh's town (Scottish place name) · Scottish, Germanic
Say it HYOO-stun /ˈhjustən/
- Rank in 2025
- #675 boys, up 56 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 402boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2021440 babies
- Total since 1880
- 18,540babies recorded
What does the name Houston mean?
Houston is a Scottish surname from a place near Glasgow, which Wiktionary explains as "Hugh's town." DMNES derives Hugh from a Germanic word meaning mind or heart. The Texas city is named after Sam Houston, as Wiktionary notes. Wiktionary also records Houston as a village in Renfrewshire, Scotland. As a boys' name Houston is used mainly in the US, where it has been recorded since 1880.
Hugh (Germanic, “mind, heart (hugu)”)-ton (English, “town”)
How sure is this? Probable. Wiktionary only for the place name.
See also: Scottish names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Houston' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Hugh', DMNES (Durham University)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Houston popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 436 since 1987, 11 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #675 | 402 |
| 2020 | #731 | 336 |
| 2010 | #880 | 238 |
| 2000 | #777 | 214 |
| 1990 | #729 | 196 |
| 1980 | #1,140 | 64 |
| 1970 | #1,046 | 61 |
| 1960 | #1,105 | 50 |
| 1950 | #728 | 89 |
| 1940 | #519 | 126 |
| 1930 | #533 | 126 |
| 1920 | #461 | 174 |
| 1910 | #427 | 41 |
| 1900 | #389 | 33 |
| 1890 | #548 | 13 |
| 1880 | #451 | 16 |
How popular is Houston, counting every spelling?
Houston is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #665 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #675 for Houston on its own. Together these spellings went to 402 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 402 | #675 | 1,990 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Houston?
402 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Houston (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Houston born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 21 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Houston.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Houston?
About 12,500 people born in the US named Houston are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 9 and 37. That makes Houston mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Houston by state
How common Houston was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Arkansas (5.0×), Alabama (5.0×), Mississippi (4.6×), West Virginia (4.5×), Kentucky (4.3×). In 20 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Houston: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Houston, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Houston · Sibling names for Houston
Questions about the name Houston
What does Houston mean?
Houston means “Hugh's town (Scottish place name)” (Scottish, Germanic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Houston?
Houston was the 675th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 402 babies. Its best year was 1901, when it ranked 319th; the most babies were born in 2021 (440). Over the last ten years it has moved up 177 places. More babies were named Houston in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Houston a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Houston in the US.
Where is Houston most popular?
In 2021–2025, Houston was most common in Arkansas (1.15 per 1,000 boys), followed by Alabama and Mississippi.