Johnston
Every Johnston since 1914 — 512 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Johnston
Johnston is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,156 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 512 American babies have been named Johnston. Its peak came in 2007, when 18 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Johnston stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Johnston year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | #10,156 |
| 2024 | 9 | #8,641 |
| 2023 | 6 | #11,483 |
| 2022 | 10 | #8,020 |
| 2021 | 8 | #9,229 |
| 2020 | 6 | #11,250 |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 10 | #7,870 |
| 2017 | 5 | #13,173 |
| 2016 | 10 | #7,859 |
| 2015 | 10 | #7,755 |
| 2014 | 8 | #9,183 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7,795 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8,485 |
| 2011 | 6 | #11,506 |
| 2010 | 11 | #7,309 |
| 2009 | 16 | #5,686 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9,400 |
| 2007 | 18 | #5,101 |
| 2006 | 7 | #10,094 |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | 10 | #7,244 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6,968 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6,300 |
| 2001 | 10 | #6,689 |
| 2000 | 15 | #4,908 |
| 1995 | 11 | #5,314 |
| 1990 | 7 | #6,779 |
| 1985 | 8 | #4,911 |
| 1980 | 9 | #4,305 |
| 1975 | 10 | #3,538 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | 7 | #3,179 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 6 | #3,449 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 5 | #4,571 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,047 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,105 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Johnston
- Johnston McCulley Writer · 1883–1958
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Johnston in 2025?
Johnston ranked #10,156 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Johnston?
512 babies have been named Johnston in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Johnston most popular?
Johnston peaked in 2007, when 18 newborns received the name.
Is Johnston a boy or girl name?
Johnston is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Johnston rising or falling?
Johnston has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Johnston?
Well-known people named Johnston include Johnston McCulley (writer).