Anderson

Anderson - A very unique male name

Anderson appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #281. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Anderson and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Anderson? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Anderson. The baby boy name Anderson was given to 860 baby boys in 2025, ranking #364 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,705 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Anderson peaked in popularity 14 years ago in 2012 on position 279.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Anderson, 1-5?

Anderson is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Anderson is currently topping the baby name charts in Alabama at position #167 - and is the least popular in Arizona at position #785.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Anderson is where you live.

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Anderson origin and meaning

English and Scandinavian (transferred surname)

'Son of Andrew' — Andrew itself means 'manly'

Anderson is a patronymic surname, 'son of Anders or Andrew,' long used across Britain and Scandinavia. As a first name it has been in US data since 1910, rose with the surname-name trend to a 2012 peak, and has softened since.

Attested etymology

Anderson is a 8 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Anderson, pop culture references for the name Anderson and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Anderson

We've found the following names that sound similar to Anderson, sorted by popularity.

Andrew / Andre / Andres / Andreas / Anders / Andrea / Ander / Amador / Andrei / Andrey /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Anderson

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Anderson a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Anderson?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AN-der-sun · /ˈændərsən/

Around the world

• Andersson (Swedish) — The Swedish patronymic surname, with double -s-

Spellings and nicknames

• Andersen — The Danish and Norwegian surname spelling

Nicknames: AndyAndersSonny

Famous bearers

• Anderson Cooper — Journalist and CNN anchor (b. 1967) Contemporary

Style

SurnameClassic

Why parents choose it

Parents like its formal, preppy weight and the easy nickname Andy, with Anderson Cooper giving it a polished public face.

Worth knowing

• At three syllables it is often shortened whether you plan it or not.