Dawson Boy

Popularity: #142 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAW-suhn //ˈdɔːsən//

Origin: English; Scottish

Meaning: English: 'son of David'; Scottish: 'from the town of Dawson'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dawson has its roots in the Old English surname "Dawson," which means "son of David." The name David itself is of Hebrew origin, derived from the word "dāwīḏ," meaning "beloved." The transition from Hebrew to English occurred through several linguistic stages, including Greek and Latin, before becoming a surname in medieval England. The use of surnames became more common in England during the 12th century, and Dawson emerged as a patronymic form, indicating lineage from an ancestor named David.

Historically, the name David has significant biblical connections, as it is borne by one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament, known for his role as the second king of Israel and a central character in various biblical narratives. The popularity of the name Dawson as a given name can be traced back to the 19th century, when it began to be used more frequently in English-speaking countries, often reflecting a trend of adopting surnames as first names during that period.

Culturally, the name Dawson carries connotations of strength and leadership, echoing the qualities associated with its biblical namesake, David. The name has also been linked to various historical figures and places, further embedding it in the cultural consciousness.

In literature and media, characters named Dawson have appeared, contributing to its resonance in storytelling. The diminutive form "Daw" has been used informally, though it is less common.

Overall, the name Dawson reflects a rich heritage, connecting linguistic roots with historical significance and cultural associations.

Famous people named Dawson

In this section, you will find notable people named Dawson. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dawson who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Dawson who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Dawson Leery is a fictional character best known for the television series Dawson's Creek.

Dawson's Creek is a television series best known for its portrayal of teenage life and relationships.

Fictional characters named Dawson

The following list of fictional characters named Dawson is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Dawson Leery is a fictional character from the TV series Dawson's Creek. He is the central character who navigates the complexities of adolescence and relationships in a small town.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dawson, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MasonGraysonJaxonLoganCameronTyler

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dawson. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DustinDawneDorianDevonDarrenDylan

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Dawson was first seen in the United States in 1885.

Dawson has ranked as high as #256 nationally, which occurred in 1999, and has been most popular in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Dawson has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dawson is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dawson was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dawson.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 2,568 2,487 81
2024 2,677 2,587 90
2023 2,551 2,451 100
2022 2,141 2,047 94
2021 1,931 1,832 99
2020 1,991 1,918 73
2019 2,042 1,960 82
2018 2,199 2,101 98
2017 2,082 2,018 64
2016 1,877 1,795 82
2015 1,660 1,594 66
2014 1,127 1,083 44
2013 1,068 1,036 32
2012 1,068 1,036 32
2011 1,036 1,012 24
2010 1,191 1,168 23
2009 1,181 1,154 27
2008 1,316 1,292 24
2007 1,429 1,409 20
2006 1,576 1,550 26
2005 1,619 1,600 19
2004 1,788 1,763 25
2003 1,832 1,805 27
2002 1,985 1,953 32
2001 2,054 2,030 24
2000 2,349 2,312 37
1999 2,834 2,802 32
1998 1,915 1,895 20
1997 209 209 0
1996 195 195 0
1995 149 149 0
1994 158 158 0
1993 117 117 0
1992 85 85 0
1991 75 75 0
1990 65 65 0
1989 67 67 0
1988 47 47 0
1987 44 44 0
1986 28 28 0
1985 34 34 0
1984 32 32 0
1983 19 19 0
1982 31 31 0
1981 23 23 0
1980 29 29 0
1979 23 23 0
1978 18 18 0
1977 17 17 0
1976 24 24 0
1975 18 18 0
1974 36 36 0
1973 20 20 0
1972 14 14 0
1971 16 16 0
1970 25 25 0
1969 15 15 0
1968 20 20 0
1967 12 12 0
1966 16 16 0
1965 12 12 0
1964 11 11 0
1963 21 21 0
1962 19 19 0
1961 16 16 0
1960 17 17 0
1959 17 17 0
1958 21 21 0
1957 27 27 0
1956 16 16 0
1955 16 16 0
1954 23 23 0
1953 27 27 0
1952 26 26 0
1951 32 32 0
1950 28 28 0
1949 31 31 0
1948 39 39 0
1947 40 40 0
1946 22 22 0
1945 16 16 0
1944 28 28 0
1943 20 20 0
1942 21 21 0
1941 17 17 0
1940 30 30 0
1939 32 32 0
1938 13 13 0
1937 26 26 0
1936 29 29 0
1935 27 27 0
1934 16 16 0
1933 20 20 0
1932 18 18 0
1931 28 28 0
1930 22 22 0
1929 23 23 0
1928 34 34 0
1927 22 22 0
1926 27 27 0
1925 31 31 0
1924 35 35 0
1923 28 28 0
1922 35 35 0
1921 36 36 0
1920 33 33 0
1919 27 27 0
1918 28 28 0
1917 30 30 0
1916 24 24 0
1915 30 30 0
1914 24 24 0
1913 19 19 0
1912 14 14 0
1911 13 13 0
1910 11 11 0
1909 6 6 0
1907 6 6 0
1905 5 5 0
1904 10 10 0
1901 6 6 0
1900 5 5 0
1898 5 5 0
1891 7 7 0
1890 7 7 0
1889 5 5 0
1888 8 8 0
1887 8 8 0
1885 5 5 0

Top States for Dawson (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 189
7%
OH 133
5%
CA 130
5%
PA 121
5%
NC 115
4%
MI 111
4%
NY 109
4%
GA 105
4%
FL 103
4%
TN 89
3%
MO 83
3%
IN 83
3%
IL 72
3%
UT 66
3%
KY 63
2%
AL 59
2%
VA 59
2%
WA 59
2%
WI 55
2%
AR 49
2%
MN 48
2%
OK 46
2%
LA 45
2%
AZ 45
2%
SC 44
2%
MS 43
2%
KS 42
2%
IA 39
2%
WV 38
1%
ID 36
1%
CO 30
1%
NJ 28
1%
MA 28
1%
NE 28
1%
OR 26
1%
MD 25
1%
MT 23
1%
SD 20
1%
NH 15
1%
AK 15
1%
ND 14
1%
ME 13
1%
CT 11
0%
NM 10
0%
DE 8
0%
NV 7
0%
RI 6
0%
HI 5
0%