Dawson

Dawson - A very unique male name

Dawson appeared on the charts for the first time in 1913 on position #1135. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dawson and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dawson? 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 Dawson. The baby boy name Dawson was given to 2,479 baby boys in 2025, ranking #143 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 591 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dawson peaked in popularity 27 years ago in 1999 on position 136.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dawson, 1-5?

Dawson is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dawson is currently topping the baby name charts in West Virginia at position #34 - and is the least popular in New Mexico at position #324.

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 Dawson is where you live.

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Dawson origin and meaning

English — transferred surname

'Son of Daw' — Daw was a medieval pet form of David

Dawson is a patronymic English surname, son of Daw (David). It entered US data in 1913, spiked around Dawson's Creek in the late 1990s — its 1999 peak — and has recently risen again to #143.

Attested etymology

Dawson is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Dawson

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

Deshawn / Deacon / Dashawn / Daquan / Deshaun / Dejuan / Dequan / Deegan / Desean / Dajuan /

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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 Dawson

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 Dawson 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 Dawson?

2 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

DAW-sun · /ˈdɔːsən/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

• Dawson Knox — NFL tight end for the Buffalo Bills (b. 1996) Contemporary
• Dawson Leery — Title character of Dawson's Creek, played by James Van Der Beek (Fictional, 1998) Fictional

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

Dawson has a laid-back, 90s-TV warmth with a sturdy surname shape. Its recent climb suggests nostalgia from parents who grew up with the show.

Worth knowing

• Dawson's Creek is the first reference for millennial and Gen-X adults
• Can be confused with Lawson, Dalton and other -son/-ton names