Houston Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Houston is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Houston?
Houston is spelled H-O-U-S-T-O-N. The name has 7 letters.
Houston at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Houston means “Hugh”s town' or “settlement of Hugh.”
- Origin
- Houston is a surname-origin place name deriving from Old English elements meaning “settlement of Hugh.”
- Pronunciation
- HYOO-stuhn · 2 syllables
Houston Popularity in 2025
Rank#8,860
Recorded Births11
Rank#675
Recorded Births402
- Girls usage fell 1,266 places to #8,860 and recorded 3 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage rose 29 places to #675 and recorded 21 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Houston Mean?
Houston means “Hugh”s town' or “settlement of Hugh.”
Origin: Houston is a surname-origin place name deriving from Old English elements meaning “settlement of Hugh.”
How Do You Pronounce Houston?
PronunciationHYOO-stuhn
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Houston?
- History
- Houston has been used historically as both a surname and a place name, including the city in Texas named after Sam Houston.
Houston Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 11 | #8,860 |
| 2025 | Boys | 402 | #675 |
| 2024 | Girls | 14 | #7,594 |
| 2024 | Boys | 381 | #704 |
| 2023 | Girls | 15 | #7,247 |
| 2023 | Boys | 387 | #689 |
| 2022 | Girls | 20 | #5,984 |
| 2022 | Boys | 380 | #696 |
| 2021 | Girls | 29 | #4,607 |
| 2021 | Boys | 440 | #625 |
| 2020 | Girls | 19 | #6,083 |
| 2020 | Boys | 336 | #730 |
| 2019 | Girls | 17 | #6,698 |
| 2019 | Boys | 374 | #684 |
| 2018 | Girls | 15 | #7,409 |
| 2018 | Boys | 314 | #751 |
| 2017 | Girls | 11 | #9,341 |
| 2017 | Boys | 284 | #804 |
| 2016 | Girls | 10 | #10,113 |
| 2016 | Boys | 287 | #803 |
| 2015 | Girls | 14 | #8,008 |
| 2015 | Boys | 264 | #850 |
| 2014 | Girls | 16 | #7,302 |
| 2014 | Boys | 227 | #932 |
When Was Houston Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
2021 · Boys
440 recorded births
National rank #625
2025 · Boys
402 recorded births
National rank #675
2023 · Boys
387 recorded births
National rank #689
2024 · Boys
381 recorded births
National rank #704
Where Houston Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| AL | #238 | 23 |
| MS | #239 | 13 |
| KY | #245 | 22 |
| WV | #254 | 7 |
| AR | #273 | 13 |
| TN | #311 | 28 |
| OK | #311 | 15 |
| OH | #395 | 27 |