Hudson
Hudson was the 17th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 8,583 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 48 places. More babies were named Hudson in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning son of Hudd (surname) · English
Say it HUD-sun /ˈhʌdsən/
- Rank in 2025
- #17 boys, up 26 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 8,583boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20258,583 babies
- Total since 1880
- 116,169babies recorded
What does the name Hudson mean?
Hudson is an English surname meaning 'son of Hudd'. Hudd was a medieval personal name; the sources cited here do not say which full name it shortened. Hudson is now used as a first name.
Hudd + -son (Middle English, “son of Hudd”)
How sure is this? Probable. The source of the pet name Hudd needs a surname-dictionary check.
See also: English names.
Nicknames for Hudson
The usual nicknames for Hudson are Hud.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hud | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Hudsons go by each one.
Hudson popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 1,882 since 1995, 83 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #17 | 8,583 |
| 2020 | #43 | 6,849 |
| 2010 | #139 | 2,851 |
| 2000 | #588 | 337 |
| 1990 | #1,535 | 55 |
| 1980 | #2,398 | 21 |
| 1970 | #2,791 | 12 |
| 1960 | #4,294 | 5 |
| 1950 | #1,353 | 29 |
| 1940 | #1,763 | 16 |
| 1930 | #1,857 | 17 |
| 1920 | #1,042 | 45 |
| 1910 | #1,256 | 8 |
| 1900 | #939 | 9 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | #980 | 5 |
How popular is Hudson, counting every spelling?
Hudson is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #19 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #17 for Hudson on its own. Together these spellings went to 8,610 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson | 8,583 | #17 | 40,102 |
| Hudsen | 27 | #3,981 | 160 |
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 Hudson?
8,583 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Hudson (2.38 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Hudson born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 23. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, a typical elementary school of 430 pupils would have about 1.0 children named Hudson.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Hudson?
About 112,000 people born in the US named Hudson are alive today, with a median age of 8; half are between 4 and 13. That makes Hudson a young name: most people with it are children.
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.
Hudson by state
How common Hudson was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Vermont (3.5×), Wyoming (3.4×), North Dakota (2.7×), South Dakota (2.7×), West Virginia (2.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in District of Columbia, New Mexico, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Hudson: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Hudson, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Hudson · Sibling names for Hudson
Questions about the name Hudson
What does Hudson mean?
Hudson means “son of Hudd (surname)” (English origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Hudson?
Hudson was the 17th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 8,583 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 48 places. More babies were named Hudson in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Hudson a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Hudson in the US.
Where is Hudson most popular?
In 2021–2025, Hudson was most common in Vermont (16.24 per 1,000 boys), followed by Wyoming and North Dakota.