Gordon
Gordon is a masculine given name in the English language. The name is derived from the Scottish surname Gordon. It is uncertain if this surname originated from a place name in Scotland or in France. The Gordon in Berwickshire, where the family who bore the surname held lands in the 12th century, is of uncertain etymology.
- Scottish
- English
Meaning & Origin of Gordon
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gordon is a masculine given name in the English language. The name is derived from the Scottish surname Gordon. It is uncertain if this surname originated from a place name in Scotland or in France. The Gordon in Berwickshire, where the family who bore the surname held lands in the 12th century, is of uncertain etymology.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Scottish
- English
The Story of Gordon
Gordon first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 51 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1952, when 2,829 Gordons were born — ranking #110 that year. As of 2026, Gordon ranks #1,080 for baby boys with 201 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 155K Gordons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Gordon
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Gordon. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Gordon
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gordon 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 Gordon
What does the name Gordon mean?
What is the origin of the name Gordon?
How popular is Gordon in 2026?
When was Gordon most popular?
In which U.S. states is Gordon most popular?
Is Gordon a unisex name?
What names go well with Gordon?
What are nicknames or variants of Gordon?
About the name Gordon
Gordon is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 155K births in the dataset. Gordon's peak popularity came in 1952 when it ranked #70. Use the chart and map above to compare Gordon's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1952 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- 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.