Judson Boy

Popularity: #690 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JUHD-suhn /ˈdʒʌd.sən/

Origin: English; Hebrew

Meaning: English: son of Jude; Hebrew: praised

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Judson is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Judde, which itself is a diminutive form of the name Jude. The name Jude has roots in Hebrew, originating from the name Yehudah, meaning "praised" or "thankful." This Hebrew name was adopted into Greek as Ioudas and subsequently into Latin as Judas.

The transition into Old French and then Middle English saw the name evolve into various forms, including Judde, which eventually led to the surname Judson, meaning "son of Judde." This surname was adopted as a given name in the 19th century, particularly in English-speaking countries. Historically, the name Jude is significant in biblical texts, as it is associated with several figures, including one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, known for his role in the New Testament.

The name gained further prominence through the King James Bible, published in 1611, which solidified its usage in Christian contexts. The surname Judson is also notable in American history, particularly through figures such as Adoniram Judson, a prominent American missionary in the early 19th century, who was instrumental in translating the Bible into Burmese and establishing Christianity in Burma.

Culturally, the name Judson carries connotations of faith and legacy, often associated with the virtues of dedication and service, particularly in religious contexts. The name has been embraced in various literary and historical narratives, reinforcing its significance across generations.

The diminutive form Juddy has also been used, though less frequently, reflecting a more personal or affectionate connection to the name. Overall, Judson encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural resonance, rooted deeply in religious and historical significance.

Famous people named Judson

In this section, you will find notable people named Judson. 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 Judson who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Judson 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.

Judson Laipply is a motivational speaker best known for his viral video 'Evolution of Dance'.

Judson Webb is a writer best known for his novels and contributions to the literary community.

Sibling suggestions

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

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Judson. 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.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Judson was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Judson has ranked as high as #1098 nationally, which occurred in 2023, and has been most popular in Georgia, Alabama, Texas, New York, and North Carolina.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Judson 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 Judson was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Judson (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 27
14%
AL 15
8%
FL 15
8%
NC 14
7%
VA 13
7%
MS 12
6%
TN 10
5%
GA 9
5%
IN 8
4%
OH 8
4%
PA 8
4%
SC 8
4%
OK 7
4%
MI 7
4%
NE 6
3%

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 Judson.

YearBirths
2024236
2023281
2022279
2021264
2020259
2019257
2018240
2017221
2016225
2015249
2014220
2013193
2012179
2011153
2010132
2009137
2008136
2007136
2006100
2005137
2004110
200385
2002104
200199
200084
199971
199869
199788
199667
199564
199481
199357
199280
199168
1990109
198996
198892
198780
198693
1985116
1984131
1983115
1982149
1981150
1980135
1979143
1978130
1977124
197699
1975126
1974142
1973111
1972119
1971109
1970152
1969111
196888
196770
196684
196574
196480
196369
196285
196194
196095
1959100
195897
1957104
195679
195587
195489
195399
195295
195182
195098
194996
194886
1947115
194689
194590
194488
194398
194297
194178
194086
193987
193882
193778
193661
193565
193487
193360
193293
193197
193090
1929104
192894
192794
1926113
1925116
192498
1923112
192290
1921121
1920114
191980
1918133
1917108
191696
1915105
191477
191364
191268
191146
191031
190933
190819
190719
190613
190510
190418
190310
190212
190114
190025
189916
189817
189715
189615
189523
189419
189316
189220
189113
189021
188921
188832
188720
188621
188518
188419
188322
188223
188123
188031