Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose and may contain minor percentages of waxes, fats, pectins, and water. Under natural conditions, cotton bolls facilitate the dispersal of the seeds.
Meaning & Origin of Cotton
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose and may contain minor percentages of waxes, fats, pectins, and water. Under natural conditions, cotton bolls facilitate the dispersal of the seeds.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Cotton
Cotton first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1918, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 31 Cottons were born — ranking #3,512 that year. As of 2026, Cotton ranks #7,506 for baby boys with 8 births, falling sharply (-45%). In total, more than 514 Cottons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Cotton
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cotton is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cotton
What does the name Cotton mean?
How popular is Cotton in 2026?
When was Cotton most popular?
In which U.S. states is Cotton most popular?
Is Cotton a unisex name?
What names go well with Cotton?
About the name Cotton
Cotton is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1918 and has accumulated 514 births in the dataset. Cotton's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #3,510. Use the chart and map above to compare Cotton's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- 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.