Dawson
Every Dawson since 1885 — 54,199 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dawson
Dawson is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #143 in 2025 with 2,487 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1885, 54,199 American babies have been named Dawson. Its peak came in 1999, when 2,834 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dawson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dawson year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 81 | #2,260 | 2,487 | #143 |
| 2024 | 90 | #2,121 | 2,587 | #139 |
| 2023 | 100 | #1,969 | 2,451 | #149 |
| 2022 | 94 | #2,052 | 2,047 | #184 |
| 2021 | 99 | #1,973 | 1,832 | #207 |
| 2020 | 73 | #2,398 | 1,918 | #197 |
| 2019 | 82 | #2,237 | 1,960 | #202 |
| 2018 | 98 | #2,000 | 2,101 | #194 |
| 2017 | 64 | #2,699 | 2,018 | #196 |
| 2016 | 82 | #2,313 | 1,795 | #216 |
| 2015 | 66 | #2,688 | 1,594 | #238 |
| 2014 | 44 | #3,554 | 1,083 | #320 |
| 2013 | 32 | #4,448 | 1,036 | #320 |
| 2012 | 32 | #4,524 | 1,036 | #316 |
| 2011 | 24 | #5,593 | 1,012 | #315 |
| 2010 | 23 | #5,829 | 1,168 | #289 |
| 2009 | 27 | #5,255 | 1,154 | #284 |
| 2008 | 24 | #5,809 | 1,292 | #269 |
| 2007 | 20 | #6,625 | 1,409 | #250 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5,274 | 1,550 | #233 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6,339 | 1,600 | #221 |
| 2004 | 25 | #5,098 | 1,763 | #206 |
| 2003 | 27 | #4,702 | 1,805 | #204 |
| 2002 | 32 | #4,009 | 1,953 | #193 |
| 2001 | 24 | #4,872 | 2,030 | #183 |
| 2000 | 37 | #3,538 | 2,312 | #168 |
| 1995 | — | — | 149 | #897 |
| 1990 | — | — | 65 | #1,385 |
| 1985 | — | — | 34 | #1,767 |
| 1980 | — | — | 29 | #1,915 |
| 1975 | — | — | 18 | #2,386 |
| 1970 | — | — | 25 | #1,755 |
| 1965 | — | — | 12 | #2,391 |
| 1960 | — | — | 17 | #1,989 |
| 1955 | — | — | 16 | #1,988 |
| 1950 | — | — | 28 | #1,372 |
| 1945 | — | — | 16 | #1,711 |
| 1940 | — | — | 30 | #1,232 |
| 1935 | — | — | 27 | #1,302 |
| 1930 | — | — | 22 | #1,571 |
| 1925 | — | — | 31 | #1,308 |
| 1920 | — | — | 33 | #1,258 |
| 1915 | — | — | 30 | #1,189 |
| 1910 | — | — | 11 | #995 |
| 1905 | — | — | 5 | #1,276 |
| 1900 | — | — | 5 | #1,358 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 7 | #825 |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #972 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Dawson in 2025?
Dawson ranked #143 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,487 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dawson?
54,199 babies have been named Dawson in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dawson most popular?
Dawson peaked in 1999, when 2,834 newborns received the name.
Is Dawson a boy or girl name?
Dawson is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 97% of babies with the name.
Is the name Dawson rising or falling?
Dawson is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.