Swain
Swain is an English surname derived from the Old Norse personal name Sveinn, from an Old Norse word meaning a youth or young man, and hence a young male attendant. There are a number of variations in the spelling of the surname Swain, including Swaine, Swainne, and Swayne.
Meaning & Origin of Swain
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Swain is an English surname derived from the Old Norse personal name Sveinn, from an Old Norse word meaning a youth or young man, and hence a young male attendant. There are a number of variations in the spelling of the surname Swain, including Swaine, Swainne, and Swayne.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Swain
Swain first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1916, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1973, when 14 Swains were born — ranking #2,605 that year. As of 2026, Swain ranks #4,239 for baby boys with 10 births, with steady use. In total, more than 71 Swains 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 Swain
Phonetically similar names — useful when Swain 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 Swain
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About the name Swain
Swain is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 71 births in the dataset. Swain's peak popularity came in 1973 when it ranked #2,605. Use the chart and map above to compare Swain's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1973 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- 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.