Dawson
- #2,256 for girls in 2025, 81 births
- #143 for boys in 2025, 2,487 births
- Given to boys 97.4% of the time
- Around 1998: Dawson's Creek (TV)
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1999 · 2,802 births
- Debut · boys
- 5 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 52,802since 1885
Dawson over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Dawson has never cracked the top 100 here.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #2,256 | 81 | #143 | 2,487 |
| 2024 | #2,118 | 90 | #139 | 2,587 |
| 2023 | #1,965 | 100 | #149 | 2,451 |
| 2022 | #2,048 | 94 | #184 | 2,047 |
| 2021 | #1,971 | 99 | #207 | 1,832 |
| 2020 | #2,394 | 73 | #197 | 1,918 |
| 2019 | #2,231 | 82 | #202 | 1,960 |
| 2018 | #1,997 | 98 | #194 | 2,101 |
| 2017 | #2,689 | 64 | #196 | 2,018 |
| 2016 | #2,308 | 82 | #216 | 1,795 |
| 2015 | #2,685 | 66 | #238 | 1,594 |
| 2014 | #3,549 | 44 | #320 | 1,083 |
| 2013 | #4,422 | 32 | #320 | 1,036 |
| 2012 | #4,486 | 32 | #316 | 1,036 |
| 2011 | #5,543 | 24 | #315 | 1,012 |
| 2010 | #5,771 | 23 | #289 | 1,168 |
| 2009 | #5,226 | 27 | #284 | 1,154 |
| 2008 | #5,750 | 24 | #269 | 1,292 |
| 2007 | #6,552 | 20 | #250 | 1,409 |
| 2006 | #5,233 | 26 | #233 | 1,550 |
| 2005 | #6,245 | 19 | #221 | 1,600 |
| 2004 | #5,062 | 25 | #206 | 1,763 |
| 2003 | #4,668 | 27 | #204 | 1,805 |
| 2002 | #3,978 | 32 | #193 | 1,953 |
| 2001 | #4,834 | 24 | #183 | 2,030 |
| 2000 | #3,527 | 37 | #168 | 2,312 |
| 1999 | #3,718 | 32 | #136 | 2,802 |
| 1998 | #5,123 | 20 | #175 | 1,895 |
| 1997 | — | #734 | 209 | |
| 1996 | — | #757 | 195 | |
| 1995 | — | #896 | 149 | |
| 1994 | — | #853 | 158 | |
| 1993 | — | #1,015 | 117 | |
| 1992 | — | #1,221 | 85 | |
| 1991 | — | #1,297 | 75 | |
| 1990 | — | #1,383 | 65 | |
| 1989 | — | #1,336 | 67 | |
| 1988 | — | #1,553 | 47 | |
| 1987 | — | #1,587 | 44 | |
| 1986 | — | #2,057 | 28 | |
| 1985 | — | #1,764 | 34 | |
| 1984 | — | #1,764 | 32 | |
| 1983 | — | #2,493 | 19 | |
| 1982 | — | #1,815 | 31 | |
| 1981 | — | #2,204 | 23 | |
| 1980 | — | #1,910 | 29 | |
| 1979 | — | #2,157 | 23 | |
| 1978 | — | #2,473 | 18 | |
| 1977 | — | #2,556 | 17 | |
| 1976 | — | #1,999 | 24 | |
| 1975 | — | #2,361 | 18 | |
| 1974 | — | #1,439 | 36 | |
| 1973 | — | #2,036 | 20 | |
| 1972 | — | #2,534 | 14 | |
| 1971 | — | #2,366 | 16 | |
| 1970 | — | #1,743 | 25 | |
| 1969 | — | #2,217 | 15 | |
| 1968 | — | #1,788 | 20 | |
| 1967 | — | #2,352 | 12 | |
| 1966 | — | #1,963 | 16 | |
| 1965 | — | #2,366 | 12 | |
| 1964 | — | #2,546 | 11 | |
| 1963 | — | #1,744 | 21 | |
| 1962 | — | #1,852 | 19 | |
| 1961 | — | #2,070 | 16 | |
| 1960 | — | #1,973 | 17 | |
| 1959 | — | #1,974 | 17 | |
| 1958 | — | #1,724 | 21 | |
| 1957 | — | #1,511 | 27 | |
| 1956 | — | #2,015 | 16 | |
| 1955 | — | #1,979 | 16 | |
| 1954 | — | #1,593 | 23 | |
| 1953 | — | #1,455 | 27 | |
| 1952 | — | #1,485 | 26 | |
| 1951 | — | #1,295 | 32 | |
| 1950 | — | #1,364 | 28 | |
| 1949 | — | #1,297 | 31 | |
| 1948 | — | #1,145 | 39 | |
| 1947 | — | #1,148 | 40 | |
| 1946 | — | #1,509 | 22 | |
| 1945 | — | #1,697 | 16 | |
| 1944 | — | #1,255 | 28 | |
| 1943 | — | #1,577 | 20 | |
| 1942 | — | #1,537 | 21 | |
| 1941 | — | #1,685 | 17 | |
| 1940 | — | #1,227 | 30 | |
| 1939 | — | #1,141 | 32 | |
| 1938 | — | #1,976 | 13 | |
| 1937 | — | #1,313 | 26 | |
| 1936 | — | #1,225 | 29 | |
| 1935 | — | #1,295 | 27 | |
| 1934 | — | #1,783 | 16 | |
| 1933 | — | #1,540 | 20 | |
| 1932 | — | #1,716 | 18 | |
| 1931 | — | #1,302 | 28 | |
| 1930 | — | #1,559 | 22 | |
| 1929 | — | #1,523 | 23 | |
| 1928 | — | #1,228 | 34 | |
| 1927 | — | #1,647 | 22 | |
| 1926 | — | #1,404 | 27 | |
| 1925 | — | #1,304 | 31 | |
| 1924 | — | #1,223 | 35 | |
| 1923 | — | #1,385 | 28 | |
| 1922 | — | #1,222 | 35 | |
| 1921 | — | #1,199 | 36 | |
| 1920 | — | #1,252 | 33 | |
| 1919 | — | #1,386 | 27 | |
| 1918 | — | #1,343 | 28 | |
| 1917 | — | #1,238 | 30 | |
| 1916 | — | #1,415 | 24 | |
| 1915 | — | #1,181 | 30 | |
| 1914 | — | #1,188 | 24 | |
| 1913 | — | #1,173 | 19 | |
| 1912 | — | #1,268 | 14 | |
| 1911 | — | #925 | 13 | |
| 1910 | — | #981 | 11 | |
| 1909 | — | #1,277 | 6 | |
| 1908 | — | — | ||
| 1907 | — | #1,200 | 6 | |
| 1906 | — | — | ||
| 1905 | — | #1,233 | 5 | |
| 1904 | — | #760 | 10 | |
| 1903 | — | — | ||
| 1902 | — | — | ||
| 1901 | — | #943 | 6 | |
| 1900 | — | #1,310 | 5 | |
| 1899 | — | — | ||
| 1898 | — | #1,121 | 5 | |
| 1897 | — | — | ||
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | — | ||
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | #766 | 7 | |
| 1890 | — | #814 | 7 | |
| 1889 | — | #974 | 5 | |
| 1888 | — | #755 | 8 | |
| 1887 | — | #679 | 8 | |
| 1886 | — | — | ||
| 1885 | — | #936 | 5 | |
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
First appearance
1885
The first year at least five boys were named Dawson! It came in at #936, and was given to 5 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1885–1886, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.
Where Dawson is popular in 2025
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- West Virginia#33 · 1 in 166
- Alaska#46 · 1 in 162
- Idaho#47 · 1 in 216
- Kentucky#62 · 1 in 289
- Iowa#66 · 1 in 288
Best ever in a state: #28 in West Virginia, 2024.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | #33 | 37 | 1 in 166 |
| Alaska | #46 | 14 | 1 in 162 |
| Idaho | #47 | 40 | 1 in 216 |
| Kentucky | #62 | 71 | 1 in 289 |
| Iowa | #66 | 48 | 1 in 288 |
| South Dakota | #69 | 16 | 1 in 240 |
| Mississippi | #70 | 35 | 1 in 310 |
| Missouri | #74 | 82 | 1 in 339 |
| New Hampshire | #74 | 20 | 1 in 225 |
| Utah | #78 | 60 | 1 in 328 |
| Maine | #82 | 15 | 1 in 256 |
| Louisiana | #85 | 55 | 1 in 348 |
| Michigan | #85 | 107 | 1 in 376 |
| North Dakota | #86 | 13 | 1 in 258 |
| Ohio | #90 | 134 | 1 in 392 |
| Oklahoma | #91 | 46 | 1 in 384 |
| Tennessee | #93 | 94 | 1 in 391 |
| Indiana | #96 | 78 | 1 in 406 |
| South Carolina | #99 | 52 | 1 in 408 |
| Arkansas | #104 | 32 | 1 in 393 |
| Alabama | #108 | 48 | 1 in 448 |
| Montana | #109 | 11 | 1 in 342 |
| Wisconsin | #114 | 53 | 1 in 442 |
| Nebraska | #122 | 21 | 1 in 420 |
| North Carolina | #122 | 100 | 1 in 515 |
| Virginia | #122 | 70 | 1 in 532 |
| Minnesota | #124 | 52 | 1 in 471 |
| Pennsylvania | #125 | 102 | 1 in 512 |
| Delaware | #126 | 8 | 1 in 368 |
| Kansas | #142 | 26 | 1 in 540 |
| Washington | #152 | 55 | 1 in 596 |
| Colorado | #153 | 46 | 1 in 584 |
| Georgia | #153 | 80 | 1 in 628 |
| Florida | #179 | 124 | 1 in 770 |
| Hawaii | #180 | 6 | 1 in 486 |
| Oregon | #181 | 23 | 1 in 655 |
| Maryland | #184 | 33 | 1 in 694 |
| Massachusetts | #186 | 35 | 1 in 772 |
| Connecticut | #197 | 17 | 1 in 777 |
| Rhode Island | #200 | 5 | 1 in 625 |
| Nevada | #213 | 14 | 1 in 807 |
| Arizona | #217 | 38 | 1 in 861 |
| Illinois | #218 | 54 | 1 in 918 |
| Texas | #228 | 173 | 1 in 1,012 |
| New York | #252 | 76 | 1 in 1,111 |
| New Jersey | #293 | 30 | 1 in 1,326 |
| California | #297 | 124 | 1 in 1,415 |
| New Mexico | #311 | 6 | 1 in 1,083 |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Dawson
Momentum · boys
Rising
- 4 spots since 2024 (#139 → #143)
- 54 spots since 2020 (#197 → #143)
- Biggest jump: 559 spots in 1998
- Biggest drop: 473 spots in 1905
Rise & fade · boys
114 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1885
- Peaked 1999 at #136 (2,802 births)
- Births halved by 2008, 9 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 42 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 42 yrs · run 1994–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 666
- Highest: 1 in 666 boys born in 2024 were named Dawson (0.15%)
- Latest: 1 in 687 boys born in 2025 (0.15%)
- Its best rank, #136 in 1999, was only 1 in 685 (0.15%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 2000s
- 31.9% of all boys named Dawson (16,868) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 26 | #679 (1887) | #836 |
| 1890s | 19 | #766 (1891) | #900 |
| 1900s | 38 | #760 (1904) | #1,121 |
| 1910s | 220 | #925 (1911) | #1,210 |
| 1920s | 304 | #1,199 (1921) | #1,339 |
| 1930s | 231 | #1,141 (1939) | #1,485 |
| 1940s | 264 | #1,145 (1948) | #1,408 |
| 1950s | 233 | #1,295 (1951) | #1,640 |
| 1960s | 159 | #1,744 (1963) | #2,087 |
| 1970s | 211 | #1,439 (1974) | #2,166 |
| 1980s | 354 | #1,336 (1989) | #1,848 |
| 1990s | 5,750 | #136 (1999) | #847 |
| 2000s | 16,868 | #168 (2000) | #221 |
| 2010s | 14,803 | #194 (2018) | #261 |
| 2020s | 13,322 | #139 (2024) | #170 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Want to check a specific year?
See where Dawson ranked and which names it was up against. Click a point on the chart, or pick a year: