Houston
Houston is a masculine given name which may refer to:Houston Alexander, American mixed martial artist Houston Antwine (1939–2011), American football player Houston A.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Houston
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Houston is a masculine given name which may refer to:Houston Alexander, American mixed martial artist Houston Antwine (1939–2011), American football player Houston A.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Houston
Houston first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 16 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 439 Houstons were born — ranking #627 that year. As of 2026, Houston ranks #696 for baby boys with 391 births, gradually rising (+10%). In total, more than 18K Houstons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Houston
Phonetically similar names — useful when Houston 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 Houston
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About the name Houston
Houston is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 18K births in the dataset. Houston's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #318. Use the chart and map above to compare Houston's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- 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.