Payton
Boy name · #1564 in 2025 · Uniqueness 80/100
Payton ranks #1564 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 109 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #687, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,514 boys born in 2025 was named Payton.
The 145-year story
Payton first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 1,581 boys were named Payton — good for #219 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Payton per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Payton against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Payton in class?
Payton scores 80 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Payton will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Payton is most common
Geography matters for names, and Payton is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Paytons were TX (15), FL (9), LA (9), GA (7), MI (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Payton
Statistically, parents drawn to Payton tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Peyton, Dayton, Triston, Trenton, and Kelton.
PeytonDaytonTristonTrentonKeltonJaylonSavionKeaton
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Payton | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 109 | #1564 |
| 2024 | 117 | #1517 |
| 2023 | 120 | #1489 |
| 2022 | 144 | #1308 |
| 2021 | 154 | #1240 |
| 2020 | 176 | #1119 |
| 2019 | 179 | #1102 |
| 2018 | 237 | #907 |
| 2017 | 288 | #796 |
| 2016 | 281 | #816 |
| 2015 | 365 | #687 |
| 2014 | 410 | #644 |
| 2013 | 510 | #521 |
| 2012 | 598 | #455 |
| 2011 | 720 | #395 |
| 2010 | 891 | #345 |
| 2009 | 972 | #328 |
| 2008 | 1,240 | #276 |
| 2007 | 1,231 | #279 |
| 2006 | 1,291 | #269 |
| 2005 | 1,429 | #238 |
| 2004 | 1,396 | #239 |
| 2003 | 1,268 | #261 |
| 2002 | 1,273 | #256 |
| 2001 | 1,315 | #255 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Payton a popular boy name?
Payton ranked #1564 among boys in 2025 with 109 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #687.
When was the name Payton most popular?
Payton peaked in 2000, when 1,581 American boys received the name (ranked #219 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Payton?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,514 newborn American boys was named Payton. It scores 80/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.