Winston
From Old English personal name Wine, in the genitive singular case Wines + tūn (“farm, village”).
Every Winston since 1880 — 32,956 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Winston
Winston is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #382 in 2025 with 830 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 32,956 American babies have been named Winston. Its peak came in 2019, when 866 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Winston stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Winston 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 | — | — | 830 | #382 |
| 2024 | 9 | #11,069 | 799 | #405 |
| 2023 | 9 | #11,116 | 798 | #398 |
| 2022 | 6 | #15,200 | 761 | #420 |
| 2021 | 12 | #8,951 | 762 | #409 |
| 2020 | 12 | #8,923 | 726 | #408 |
| 2019 | 6 | #15,449 | 860 | #372 |
| 2018 | 8 | #12,403 | 790 | #404 |
| 2017 | 8 | #12,664 | 782 | #405 |
| 2016 | — | — | 649 | #472 |
| 2015 | — | — | 551 | #523 |
| 2014 | — | — | 518 | #538 |
| 2013 | — | — | 394 | #625 |
| 2012 | — | — | 399 | #614 |
| 2011 | — | — | 305 | #745 |
| 2010 | — | — | 238 | #882 |
| 2009 | — | — | 270 | #821 |
| 2008 | — | — | 270 | #815 |
| 2007 | — | — | 239 | #870 |
| 2006 | — | — | 225 | #879 |
| 2005 | — | — | 244 | #794 |
| 2004 | — | — | 215 | #830 |
| 2003 | — | — | 196 | #876 |
| 2002 | — | — | 218 | #794 |
| 2001 | — | — | 213 | #795 |
| 2000 | — | — | 249 | #704 |
| 1995 | — | — | 243 | #681 |
| 1990 | — | — | 282 | #596 |
| 1985 | 8 | #8,303 | 223 | #590 |
| 1980 | — | — | 177 | #654 |
| 1975 | — | — | 161 | #644 |
| 1970 | — | — | 180 | #608 |
| 1965 | — | — | 233 | #500 |
| 1960 | — | — | 189 | #569 |
| 1955 | — | — | 284 | #436 |
| 1950 | — | — | 290 | #399 |
| 1945 | — | — | 271 | #361 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,856 | 329 | #310 |
| 1935 | — | — | 175 | #423 |
| 1930 | — | — | 200 | #417 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,758 | 224 | #401 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,748 | 211 | #405 |
| 1915 | — | — | 197 | #381 |
| 1910 | — | — | 20 | #676 |
| 1905 | — | — | 20 | #524 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #741 |
| 1895 | — | — | 7 | #975 |
| 1890 | — | — | 6 | #992 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #1,052 |
Famous people named Winston
- Winston Churchill Politician · 1874–1965
- Winston Groom Writer · 1943–2020
- Winston Graham Writer · 1908–2003
- Winston Bogarde Soccer player · b. 1970
- Winston Churchill Writer · 1871–1947
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Winston mean?
From Old English personal name Wine, in the genitive singular case Wines + tūn (“farm, village”).
How popular is the name Winston in 2025?
Winston ranked #382 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 830 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Winston?
32,956 babies have been named Winston in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Winston most popular?
Winston peaked in 2019, when 866 newborns received the name.
Is Winston a boy or girl name?
Winston is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Winston rising or falling?
Winston is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Winston?
Well-known people named Winston include Winston Churchill (politician), Winston Groom (writer), Winston Graham (writer).