Princeton Boy

Popularity: #559 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PRIN-stən //ˈprɪn.stən//

Origin: English; Latin

Meaning: English: from the prince's town; Latin: princely

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Princeton is of English origin, derived from the Old English elements "prince" and "ton," meaning "prince's town" or "town of the prince." The etymology can be traced back to the Latin word "princeps," which means "first" or "chief," and the Old English "tun," which refers to a settlement or enclosure. This combination reflects a historical context where towns were often named to denote their significance or the status of their inhabitants.

The name entered the English lexicon as a place name before being adopted as a personal name, particularly in the context of the establishment of educational institutions and notable figures associated with them. Historically, the name Princeton is most famously associated with Princeton University, founded in 1746 in New Jersey.

The university's establishment marked a significant milestone in American education, and it has since become a prominent institution in higher learning. The name Princeton also appears in various historical documents and literature, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, reflecting the town's and university's growing prominence in American society.

Notable figures associated with the university, including U.S. presidents and influential scholars, have further cemented the name's historical significance.

Culturally, the name Princeton carries connotations of intellectualism and prestige, largely due to its association with the university. The town of Princeton has been a site of historical events, including the Battle of Princeton in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War, which adds to its cultural resonance.

The name has been used in various contexts, often symbolizing academic excellence and leadership. While diminutive forms or variations of the name are less common, the name Princeton itself has maintained a strong identity rooted in its historical and cultural significance.

Fictional characters named Princeton

The following list of fictional characters named Princeton 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.

Princeton is a fictional character from the musical Avenue Q. He is a recent college graduate who moves to New York City and navigates the challenges of adulthood and finding his purpose.

Sibling suggestions

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

JacksonMadisonCarterGraysonHudsonMason

Similar names

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

PaxtonBentonHarrisonTrentonDentonQuintonBraytonKenton

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Princeton was first seen in the United States in 1950.

Princeton has ranked as high as #803 nationally, which occurred in 2017, and has been most popular in Texas, Georgia, California, Florida, and North Carolina.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Princeton 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 Princeton 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 Princeton.

Year Total Births Boy
2025 422 422
2024 465 465
2023 533 533
2022 611 611
2021 626 626
2020 722 722
2019 768 768
2018 788 788
2017 793 793
2016 775 775
2015 714 714
2014 541 541
2013 389 389
2012 318 318
2011 202 202
2010 173 173
2009 136 136
2008 106 106
2007 85 85
2006 54 54
2005 31 31
2004 48 48
2003 36 36
2002 32 32
2001 20 20
2000 32 32
1999 31 31
1998 25 25
1997 30 30
1996 17 17
1995 21 21
1994 36 36
1993 36 36
1992 44 44
1991 66 66
1990 64 64
1989 47 47
1988 55 55
1987 37 37
1986 45 45
1985 52 52
1984 35 35
1983 18 18
1982 23 23
1981 12 12
1980 23 23
1979 8 8
1978 9 9
1977 5 5
1975 8 8
1974 6 6
1973 10 10
1972 5 5
1971 8 8
1970 6 6
1967 5 5
1966 6 6
1965 6 6
1961 7 7
1959 8 8
1955 6 6
1954 5 5
1952 5 5
1950 6 6

Top States for Princeton (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 43
10%
NC 38
9%
GA 34
8%
CA 28
6%
SC 22
5%
NY 21
5%
FL 20
5%
OH 19
4%
AL 19
4%
AR 19
4%
TN 17
4%
MO 16
4%
LA 16
4%
MS 15
3%
MI 13
3%
KY 11
3%
MD 10
2%
PA 10
2%
IL 8
2%
MN 8
2%
KS 7
2%
VA 7
2%
WI 7
2%
NV 6
1%
MA 5
1%
IA 5
1%
IN 5
1%
CO 5
1%