Baby Names Ending in Son

Hobson

English

"son of Robert"

An original way to honor an ancestral Robert. Hobson is outside the Top 1000 but is among the fastest-rising names for boys.

Simpson

English

"son of Simon"

Try Simon. Or Homer.

Nelson

English

"son of Neil"

Nelson is a rather stiff and dated surname name that is sometimes used to honor distinguished South African activist Nelson Mandela, as Celine Dion did for one of her twin boys. Other notable…

Jefferson

English

"son of Jeffrey"

The name of the third U.S. President sounds, like Harrison and Jackson, more modern and stylish now than its root name. Used as a first name long before our surname-crazed era, Jefferson was most…

Coleson

English

"Son of Nicholas"

A mostly undiscovered alternative to the ultra-popular Colton; just 80 baby boys were named Coleson in 2016. It's also a surname name in its own right.

Woodson

English surname

"from Woodsome"

Despite its -son ending, Woodson is not a patronymic surname (although it would be a great choice for the child of a Woody or Woodrow). People with the surname Woodson have ancestors from Woodsome, a…

Watson

English and Scottish surname related to Walter

"son of Wat"

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…

Edison

English

"son of Edith or Adam"

This rhythmic last-name-first-name projects the creativity and inventiveness of Thomas Edison. It's an English surname deriving from either Adam or Eda, a medieval diminutive of Edith. Q. Why is it…

Iverson

Old Norse

"Ivar's son"

In the 90s, Michael Jordan inspired thousands of parents around the world to name their babies Jordan. Retired NBA star Allen Iverson hasn't yet had anywhere near that impact, but a respectable 64…

Wesson

Variation of Weston, English

"from the western town"

This weapon name, linked to arms manufacturer Smith and Wesson, entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

Orson

Latin and English

"bear cub"

In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator…

Eason

Scottish surname

"son of Adam"

Scottish names that started as surnames are a class unto themselves. This old Scottish surname name debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016 -- bolstered, no doubt, by the extreme popularity of Easton,…

Branson

English

"son of the raven"

Branson is a fairly recent addition to the Top 1000, first breaking in at Number 988 in 1995. While it may not be a common sighting yet, it fits the trend of more popular cousins Mason, Grayson,…

Judson

English

"son of Jordan"

Judson remained in the US Top 1000 every year until it dropped off in 1987. In 2014, the named rejoined the list. With Hudson gaining in popularity, Judson—a possible alternative to Justin—could…

Bronson

English

"son of brown-haired one"

This surname has a modern yet old New England feel, perhaps because of the association with the transcendental teacher and reformer Bronson (born Amos Bronson) Alcott, father of Louisa May. (One-time…

Garrison

English

"son of Garret"

As Harrison is to Harry, Garrison is to Gary: both of the longer versions sound more modern and appealing. NPR's Prairie Home Companion's Garrison Keillor was born Gary.

Brayson

Modern invented name

Also found as Brason, this is one of an army of Jason sound-alikes, which include Cason, Mason, Kaysen, and so on. Stylish, yes; recommended, no.

Johnson

English

"son of John"

No competition for Jackson.

Hanson

Scandinavian

"son of Hans"

More familiar and melodic to the American ear than either Hans or Hansen, and some might attach it to the three-brother pop-rock band called Hanson.