Woodson Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WOOD-sun //ˈwʊd.sən//
Origin: English; Old English
Meaning: Son of Wood; from the wooded area
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Woodson is of English origin, derived from the Old English elements "wudu," meaning "wood," and "son," meaning "son of." This name essentially translates to "son of the wood" or "son of the woods," indicating a familial connection to a wooded area or a profession related to woodlands. The name likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, when surnames began to be adopted in England, particularly in the 11th century, as a means of identifying individuals based on their lineage or geographic features.
Historically, the use of surnames became more standardized in England following the Norman Conquest in 1066, which led to the incorporation of various naming conventions. Woodson, as a surname, would have been used to denote someone who lived near or worked in a forested area.
The name appears in various historical records, including land grants and legal documents from the medieval period, reflecting the agrarian society of the time where such geographical identifiers were common. Culturally, the name Woodson carries connotations of nature and the environment, symbolizing strength and stability, much like the trees it references.
The association with woodlands may also evoke themes of growth and resilience, which have been significant in various cultural narratives throughout history. While Woodson is primarily recognized as a surname, it has also been adopted as a given name in some contexts, reflecting the enduring appeal of nature-related names in English-speaking cultures.
The diminutive form "Woody" has also emerged, further emphasizing the name's connection to the natural world.
Famous people named Woodson
In this section, you will find notable people named Woodson. 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 Woodson who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Woodson 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.
Woodson Woodson is a historian best known for his work on African American history and the establishment of Black History Month.
Woodson W. Woodson is a writer best known for his contributions to literature and his advocacy for education in the African American community.
Fictional characters named Woodson
The following list of fictional characters named Woodson 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.
Woodson is a fictional character from the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. He is a member of the Greasers, a group of working-class teenagers who navigate the challenges of their environment and societal conflicts.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Woodson, 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 Woodson. 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 Woodson was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Woodson has ranked as high as #1312 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in Kentucky, Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas.
In the past 5 years the name Woodson has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Woodson 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 Woodson was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Woodson (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 |
|---|---|---|
| KY | 7 |
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 Woodson.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 48 |
| 2023 | 34 |
| 2022 | 36 |
| 2021 | 25 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2018 | 28 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2016 | 23 |
| 2015 | 18 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 1995 | 5 |
| 1991 | 7 |
| 1988 | 5 |
| 1982 | 10 |
| 1981 | 7 |
| 1980 | 8 |
| 1978 | 6 |
| 1973 | 6 |
| 1969 | 5 |
| 1968 | 9 |
| 1966 | 9 |
| 1965 | 7 |
| 1963 | 6 |
| 1962 | 7 |
| 1961 | 6 |
| 1960 | 8 |
| 1959 | 8 |
| 1958 | 5 |
| 1957 | 12 |
| 1956 | 10 |
| 1955 | 5 |
| 1954 | 9 |
| 1953 | 9 |
| 1952 | 16 |
| 1951 | 13 |
| 1950 | 7 |
| 1949 | 7 |
| 1948 | 22 |
| 1947 | 14 |
| 1946 | 13 |
| 1945 | 11 |
| 1944 | 17 |
| 1943 | 16 |
| 1942 | 17 |
| 1941 | 10 |
| 1940 | 10 |
| 1939 | 14 |
| 1938 | 9 |
| 1937 | 9 |
| 1936 | 14 |
| 1935 | 17 |
| 1934 | 8 |
| 1933 | 17 |
| 1932 | 10 |
| 1931 | 13 |
| 1930 | 9 |
| 1929 | 11 |
| 1928 | 20 |
| 1927 | 12 |
| 1926 | 15 |
| 1925 | 17 |
| 1924 | 22 |
| 1923 | 18 |
| 1922 | 15 |
| 1921 | 17 |
| 1920 | 23 |
| 1919 | 16 |
| 1918 | 27 |
| 1917 | 29 |
| 1916 | 30 |
| 1915 | 27 |
| 1914 | 16 |
| 1913 | 18 |
| 1912 | 12 |
| 1911 | 7 |
| 1910 | 5 |
| 1909 | 7 |
| 1905 | 5 |
| 1904 | 7 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1894 | 8 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1886 | 9 |
| 1884 | 8 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1880 | 8 |