Payton

Payton - A very unique male name

Payton appeared on the charts for the first time in 1921 on position #1949. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Payton and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Payton? 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 Payton. The baby boy name Payton was given to 57 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1617 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 25,724 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Payton peaked in popularity 26 years ago in 2000 on position 219.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Payton, 1-5?

Payton is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Payton is currently topping the baby name charts in Louisiana at position #519 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,704.

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 Payton is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Payton origin and meaning

English surname, from a place name

'Paega's town or settlement,' from an Old English personal name plus tun

Payton is a transferred English surname and place name. For boys it surged in the 1990s — boosted by football legend Walter Payton, whose surname inspired many namings even though Payton was not his given name — and peaked in 2000. It has since fallen for boys. One current bearer, NBA guard Payton Pritchard, holds it as a genuine given name.

Attested etymology

Payton is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Payton

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

Peyton / Paden / Patton / Payden / Payten /

---

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 Payton

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 Payton 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 Payton?

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.

---

Pronunciation

PAY-tun · /ˈpeɪtən/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Peyton — The e-spelling, used for both sexes — a separate established name.

Famous bearers

• Payton Pritchard — American basketball player, guard for the Boston Celtics (b. 1998) Contemporary

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

For boys, Payton is a surname-style name with 1990s sports energy that has been cooling for two decades.

Worth knowing

• Walter Payton held the name as a surname, not a given name — and girls' Peyton / Payton use now outshines the boys'.