Canton

More accessible than some of the more distant names in the atlas, Canton fits into the category of the no-nonsense, new-sounding boys' names many parents are looking at.

There are multiple places across the world called Canton, including a town in Ontario, Canada, a city district in Cardiff, Wales, a province in China (that's now typically called Guangdong), and a number of towns and cities in the US. As a word, a canton might refer to an administrative district; to a small community or clan; or to a rectangular emblem at the top left of a flag (i.e. the stars on the US flag). It likely originates from the Old French canton meaning "corner".

Pronounced KAN-tun.

As of October 2026, Canton ranked #5241 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #3380 in 2015.