Tyson
Tyson was the 531st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 565 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 237th with 1,491 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 216 places. More babies were named Tyson in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · English, Old French, German
Say it TY-sun /ˈtaɪsən/
- Rank in 2025
- #531 boys, down 159 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 565boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20091,491 babies
- Total since 1880
- 48,713babies recorded
What does the name Tyson mean?
Tyson is a surname with several possible origins, which Wiktionary lists: a nickname from Old French tison, "firebrand"; a variant of Dyson, "son of Dennis"; and, in the US, an English spelling of a German family name Theissen, "son of Theiss" (Matthias). It became a common first name in the 1980s and 1990s; boxer Mike Tyson made it widely known.
tison (Old French, “firebrand”)Dyson (Middle English, “son of Dennis”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Several surname origins; individual families differ.
Related names: Tison, Dyson, Ty.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Tyson', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Dennis', DMNES, Durham University
Nicknames for Tyson
The usual nicknames for Tyson are Ty. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Tyson in the last five years, 44 were named Ty, against 182 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ty · also for Tyler, Tyrone | Traditional | #813 | 1,680 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Tysons go by each one.
Tyson popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 318 since 1973.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #531 | 565 |
| 2020 | #372 | 841 |
| 2010 | #238 | 1,472 |
| 2000 | #335 | 819 |
| 1990 | #408 | 569 |
| 1980 | #244 | 912 |
| 1970 | #616 | 175 |
| 1960 | #1,431 | 32 |
| 1950 | #1,940 | 16 |
| 1940 | #2,312 | 11 |
| 1930 | #2,595 | 11 |
| 1920 | #2,750 | 11 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Tyson, counting every spelling?
Tyson is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #491 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #531 for Tyson on its own. Together these spellings went to 617 boys in 2025.
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 Tyson?
565 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Tyson (0.16 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Tyson 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 15 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Tyson.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Tyson?
About 46,400 people born in the US named Tyson are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 13 and 39. That makes Tyson 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.
Tyson by state
How common Tyson was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Hawaii (3.7×), Alabama (2.3×), Mississippi (2.2×), Idaho (2.2×), West Virginia (2.1×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Mexico, New York, Connecticut.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Tyson: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Tyson, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Tyson · Sibling names for Tyson
Questions about the name Tyson
What does Tyson mean?
The origin of Tyson is uncertain: several surname origins; individual families differ.
How popular is the name Tyson?
Tyson was the 531st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 565 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 237th with 1,491 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 216 places. More babies were named Tyson in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Tyson a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Tyson in the US.
Where is Tyson most popular?
In 2021–2025, Tyson was most common in Hawaii (1.61 per 1,000 boys), followed by Alabama and Mississippi.