Preston Boy

Popularity: #309 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PRES-tun //ˈprɛstən//

Origin: English; Old English

Meaning: English: priest's town; Old English: from the priest's estate

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Preston has its roots in Old English, derived from the elements "preost," meaning "priest," and "tun," meaning "town" or "settlement." This etymology suggests that the name originally referred to a "priest's town" or a settlement associated with a church or religious figure. The name was first recorded in the 11th century, particularly in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landholdings in England after the Norman Conquest.

The name has since evolved through various forms, including the Middle English "Preston," before solidifying into its modern spelling in the 19th century. Historically, Preston has been associated with several notable locations in England, particularly the town of Preston in Lancashire, which played a significant role during the Industrial Revolution.

The town became a center for textile manufacturing, contributing to its prominence in the 19th century. Additionally, the name has been borne by various historical figures, including Preston of the 17th century, who was a prominent parliamentary figure during the English Civil War.

The name also appears in various literary works and historical texts, further embedding it in English cultural history. Culturally, the name Preston carries connotations of community and religious significance, reflecting its origins tied to ecclesiastical authority.

It has been used in various contexts, from place names to surnames, and has maintained a sense of tradition and heritage. The diminutive form "Pres" has also emerged in some contexts, although it is less commonly used.

Overall, Preston encapsulates a blend of historical, cultural, and linguistic significance that has allowed it to endure through the centuries.

Famous people named Preston

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

We also feature individuals named Preston 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.

Preston Sturges was a filmmaker and screenwriter best known for Sullivan's Travels, The Lady Eve, and Miracle of Morgan's Creek.

Preston Brooks was a notable figure in American history best known for his role in the Brooks-Sumner incident.

Preston Manning is a political figure best known for founding the Reform Party of Canada and serving as its leader.

Fictional characters named Preston

The following list of fictional characters named Preston 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.

Preston Garvey is a fictional character from the video game Fallout 4. He is a member of the Railroad and serves as a key companion to the player character, providing guidance and support throughout the game.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Preston, 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 Preston. 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 Preston was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Preston has ranked as high as #200 nationally, which occurred in 2007, and has been most popular in Texas, California, North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia.

In the past 5 years the name Preston has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

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

Top States for Preston (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 126
13%
FL 78
8%
CA 77
8%
NC 49
5%
NY 47
5%
OH 43
4%
MI 40
4%
PA 39
4%
GA 38
4%
VA 34
3%
TN 34
3%
SC 31
3%
LA 30
3%
IN 29
3%
MO 27
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 Preston.

YearBirths
20241,045
20231,230
20221,353
20211,472
20201,646
20191,748
20181,966
20172,073
20162,313
20152,455
20142,733
20132,668
20122,944
20113,036
20103,107
20093,463
20083,461
20073,796
20063,719
20052,728
20042,646
20032,640
20022,515
20012,618
20002,743
19992,291
19981,891
19971,889
19961,672
19951,715
19941,606
19931,545
19921,528
19911,426
19901,527
19891,470
19881,352
19871,278
19861,121
1985978
1984904
1983819
1982807
1981744
1980763
1979690
1978597
1977583
1976567
1975450
1974482
1973484
1972568
1971540
1970522
1969507
1968498
1967460
1966520
1965456
1964453
1963476
1962484
1961451
1960478
1959485
1958479
1957516
1956549
1955524
1954484
1953516
1952557
1951519
1950535
1949535
1948461
1947525
1946452
1945450
1944408
1943448
1942447
1941395
1940381
1939353
1938332
1937360
1936334
1935324
1934357
1933317
1932352
1931333
1930379
1929348
1928381
1927375
1926416
1925426
1924414
1923478
1922467
1921448
1920482
1919430
1918417
1917413
1916418
1915388
1914319
1913218
1912206
1911128
1910112
190976
190888
190771
190661
190582
190467
190376
190262
190178
190078
189952
189853
189737
189653
189558
189466
189346
189249
189151
189049
188939
188858
188744
188636
188548
188449
188352
188249
188136
188047