Is Watson a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Watson is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Watson?

It’s currently ranked #650 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

How do you pronounce Watson?

WOT-suhn · IPA: //ˈwɒtsən//

Watson Boy

Popularity: #650 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

PronunciationWOT-suhn / /ˈwɒtsən/

English; Old English

Meaning

Son of Walter

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Watson is derived from the Old English name Walter, meaning 'ruler of the army.' It has been used as a surname before becoming popular as a given name. The name gained prominence in the 19th century and has been associated with various notable figures in literature and history.

Trend Summary

Watson has seen a steady rise in popularity as a given name in the United States over the past few decades.

Similar Names

Wilson Wilder Walker Whitley Wendell

Variants

Wat
Wattie

International Variants

Gottfried (German)
Gottfrid (Swedish)

Famous people named Watson

Watson Smith was an American politician known for his contributions to local governance.

Fictional characters named Watson

Watson is a character in the video game series 'Assassin's Creed,' known for his role as a companion.

Sibling Suggestions

Winston Wesley Walter Waylon Wyatt Warren

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Watson was first seen in the United States in 1880. Watson has ranked as high as #905 nationally, which occurred in 2021, and has been most popular in Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, California, and Pennsylvania. In the past 5 years the name Watson has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Watson (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	24	11%
PA	14	6%
CA	13	6%
FL	13	6%
MO	12	5%
NC	12	5%
GA	12	5%
TN	11	5%
IA	11	5%
OH	11	5%
WI	10	4%
SD	9	4%
AL	9	4%
MN	9	4%
SC	9	4%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	12
1881	10
1882	21
1883	14
1884	11
1885	6
1886	5
1887	8
1888	10
1889	8
1890	12
1891	12
1892	16
1894	10
1895	12
1896	24
1897	15
1898	13
1899	12
1900	13
1901	14
1902	14
1903	7
1904	13
1905	12
1906	13
1907	9
1908	16
1909	12
1910	25
1911	21
1912	36
1913	43
1914	59
1915	72
1916	75
1917	61
1918	83
1919	68
1920	57
1921	71
1922	67
1923	58
1924	63
1925	58
1926	48
1927	52
1928	28
1929	35
1930	37
1931	46
1932	34
1933	46
1934	26
1935	33
1936	42
1937	30
1938	40
1939	41
1940	38
1941	45
1942	26
1943	34
1944	24
1945	33
1946	33
1947	36
1948	34
1949	31
1950	23
1951	28
1952	22
1953	35
1954	25
1955	31
1956	27
1957	24
1958	17
1959	18
1960	20
1961	28
1962	12
1963	22
1964	19
1965	11
1966	11
1967	7
1968	13
1969	11
1970	14
1971	9
1972	14
1973	14
1974	13
1975	10
1976	7
1977	10
1978	6
1979	8
1980	6
1981	11
1982	17
1983	13
1984	13
1985	15
1986	15
1987	13
1988	14
1989	12
1990	17
1991	8
1992	14
1993	14
1994	17
1995	14
1996	11
1997	16
1998	19
1999	25
2000	13
2001	18
2002	20
2003	19
2004	25
2005	33
2006	26
2007	23
2008	24
2009	18
2010	36
2011	43
2012	82
2013	62
2014	93
2015	122
2016	121
2017	198
2018	340
2019	362
2020	454
2021	466
2022	356
2023	306
2024	278