Dawson
An English surname meaning 'son of Daw', where Daw was a medieval pet form of David — a Hebrew name usually read as beloved.
Dawson in 2025
Dawson was given to 2,568 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 255th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 1,291 babies born.
The history of Dawson
Dawson reached its highest point in 1999, when 2,834 babies were given the name, ranking 256th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 242nd, in 2024.
Across the 141 years of records since 1885, 54,199 babies have been named Dawson. Half of them were born before 2011, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Dawson by decade
| Decade | Babies named Dawson | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 26 | 1,511 |
| 1890s | 19 | 1,788 |
| 1900s | 38 | 1,858 |
| 1910s | 220 | 2,157 |
| 1920s | 304 | 2,395 |
| 1930s | 231 | 2,343 |
| 1940s | 264 | 2,465 |
| 1950s | 233 | 2,876 |
| 1960s | 159 | 4,210 |
| 1970s | 211 | 3,505 |
| 1980s | 354 | 3,141 |
| 1990s | 5,802 | 256 |
| 2000s | 17,129 | 316 |
| 2010s | 15,350 | 325 |
| 2020s | 13,859 | 242 |
Where Dawson is heading
Dawson has risen 55% over the past decade, from 1,660 babies in 2015 to 2,568 in 2025.
Names like Dawson
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Dawson.