Morton
From Old English mōr (“moor, marsh”) + tūn (“settlement”).
Every Morton since 1880 — 12,341 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Morton
Morton is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 12,341 American babies have been named Morton. Its peak came in 1923, when 482 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Morton stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Morton 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 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | 8 | #9,407 |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | 5 | #13,497 |
| 2018 | — | — | 11 | #7,461 |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | 9 | #8,601 |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | 7 | #10,407 |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | 5 | #13,955 |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | 7 | #9,816 |
| 2004 | — | — | 7 | #9,624 |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | 5 | #11,597 |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | 5 | #9,062 |
| 1985 | — | — | 8 | #5,016 |
| 1980 | — | — | 9 | #4,388 |
| 1975 | — | — | 10 | #3,592 |
| 1970 | — | — | 14 | #2,592 |
| 1965 | — | — | 21 | #1,762 |
| 1960 | — | — | 32 | #1,420 |
| 1955 | — | — | 33 | #1,332 |
| 1950 | — | — | 55 | #931 |
| 1945 | — | — | 108 | #582 |
| 1940 | — | — | 132 | #504 |
| 1935 | — | — | 310 | #309 |
| 1930 | — | — | 367 | #300 |
| 1925 | — | — | 415 | #283 |
| 1920 | — | — | 435 | #262 |
| 1915 | — | — | 286 | #303 |
| 1910 | — | — | 40 | #435 |
| 1905 | — | — | 25 | #445 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #721 |
| 1895 | — | — | 23 | #409 |
| 1890 | — | — | 31 | #314 |
| 1885 | — | — | 8 | #744 |
| 1880 | — | — | 16 | #456 |
Famous people named Morton
- Morton Feldman Composer · 1926–1987
- Morton Gould Composer · 1913–1996
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Morton mean?
From Old English mōr (“moor, marsh”) + tūn (“settlement”).
How popular is the name Morton in 2025?
Morton did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Morton?
12,341 babies have been named Morton in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Morton most popular?
Morton peaked in 1923, when 482 newborns received the name.
Is Morton a boy or girl name?
Morton is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Morton rising or falling?
Morton has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Morton?
Well-known people named Morton include Morton Feldman (composer), Morton Gould (composer).