Watson
2% girls · 98% boys
About Watson
A patronymic surname deriving from the traditional nickname Wat, from Walter. Watson appeared on the female baby name list for the first time in 2020, when it was given to 5 baby girls in the US. Actor Emma Watson is a famous surname bearer.
Watson for boys#1011 US
What with the resurgence of W names like Weston and Walter, the prominence of high profile actress Emma and golfer Bubba, and even the attention paid to Watson, the IBM computer on "Jeopardy" (named for IBM's founder, Thomas Watson) this name could be in line for a revival of its own.
Watson is the 20th most common surname in Scotland, meaning the son of Wat, an early nickname for Walter. Among the earliest emigrants to the Virginia Colony from England was John Watson in 1635. Later noted bearers of the surname include Alexander Graham Bell's telephone experiment partner Thomas A. Watson ("Mr. Watson--come here!"), James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA, and actress Emily. Two well known Watsons in fiction are Sherlock Holmes's accomplice, Dr (John) Watson, and Spider-Man's love interest, Mary Jane. All in all: a name with a varied and fascinating heritage.
Pronounced WOT-sun.
As of November 2026, Watson ranked #17124 for girls and #1011 for boys in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #14973 for girls in 2020 and #397 for boys in 1882.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,668 | 93 | 48.4 |
| 2015 | #1,414 | 122 | 63.6 |
| 2016 | #1,442 | 121 | 63.8 |
| 2017 | #1,022 | 198 | 107 |
| 2018 | #715 | 340 | 187.2 |
| 2019 | #696 | 362 | 201.8 |
| 2020 | #603 | 454 | 263 |
| 2021 | #597 | 466 | 266.4 |
| 2022 | #729 | 356 | 203.9 |
| 2023 | #805 | 306 | 178.9 |
| 2024 | #864 | 278 | 161.4 |
| 2025 | #1,011 | 224 | 131.1 |
World rankings
Watson for boys
Similar names
These 40 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Watson.
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Watson on lists
Famous Watsons
- Watson McLean WashburnBoy
American tennis player
- (Lester) Watson BrownBoy
American football player and coach
- Watson ParkerBoy
American historian and author
- Watson Cole DeBoer (b. 2017)Boy
son of TV personalities Chelsea and Cole DeBoer of "Teen Mom 2"
- James Dewey WatsonBoy
American molecular biologist
Watson in pop culture
- Watson BrewerBoy
Karen's father in Ann M. Martin's "The Baby,Sitters Club" and "Baby,Sitter's Little Sister" series
- WatsonBoy
IBM computer who won "Jeopardy!"
- John Hamish WatsonBoy
associate of Sherlock Holmes, created by Arthur Conan Doyle
Variations & nicknames
- WatkinsBoy
- WatsenBoy
- WatterkinsonBoy
- WattsonBoy