Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port.
Meaning & Origin of Beacon
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Beacon
Beacon first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2018, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 8 Beacons were born — ranking #8,981 that year. As of 2026, Beacon ranks #10,889 for baby boys with 6 births, rising sharply (+27% over the past five years). In total, more than 34 Beacons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Beacon
Phonetically similar names — useful when Beacon is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Bacon
- Beckon
- Becon
- Baken
- Boken
- Bakken
- Becken
- Buchan
- Backen
- Bacan
- Bekam
- Balken
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Beacon
What does the name Beacon mean?
How popular is Beacon in 2026?
When was Beacon most popular?
Is Beacon a unisex name?
What names go well with Beacon?
About the name Beacon
Beacon is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2018 and has accumulated 34 births in the dataset. Beacon's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #8,981. Use the chart and map above to compare Beacon's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.