Boy · #8,287 in 2026

Peterson

Name: Popularity of the name Peterson in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Peterson, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Peterson/Petersen is a Scandinavian and English patronymic surname meaning "son of Peter." The given name Peter is derived from the Greek πέτρος (petros), meaning "rock" or "stone," and has been a popular name choice throughout history due to the Christian apostle Peter.

Current Rank

#8,287

Peak Rank

#2,359 (1989)

Total Babies

810

5-Yr Trend

-12%

1950

First Year

2024

Last Year

1989

Peak Year

#2359

Peak Rank

810

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Peterson

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Peterson

Peterson first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1950, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1989, when 28 Petersons were born — ranking #2,359 that year. As of 2026, Peterson ranks #8,287 for baby boys with 9 births, gradually falling (-12%). In total, more than 810 Petersons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Peterson

Phonetically similar names — useful when Peterson is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Petersen
Pettersson
Patterson
Paterson
Petterson
Pettersen
Pedersen
Pederson
Batterson
Patron
Parson
Pearson

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Peterson

What does the name Peterson mean?

How popular is Peterson in 2026?

In 2026, Peterson ranks #8,287 among boys' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.

When was Peterson most popular?

Peterson reached its peak popularity in 1989, ranking #2,359 that year with 28 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Peterson most popular?

Peterson has historically been most popular in Florida, New York, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Peterson.

Is Peterson a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Peterson is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Peterson?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Peterson include Kierre, Lynell, Craven. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Peterson

Peterson is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1950 and has accumulated 810 births in the dataset. Peterson's peak popularity came in 1989 when it ranked #2,359. Use the chart and map above to compare Peterson's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.