Preston Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Preston is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Preston?
Preston is spelled P-R-E-S-T-O-N. The name has 7 letters.
Preston at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Preston means “priest“s town” or “priest”s settlement,” derived from Old English elements.
- Origin
- Preston is commonly associated with English place names derived from Old English, traditionally referring to settlements where priests lived or served.
- Pronunciation
- PRE-stuhn · 2 syllables
Preston Popularity in 2025
Rank#9,457
Recorded Births10
Rank#299
Recorded Births1,131
- Girls usage fell 3,063 places to #9,457 and recorded 8 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage rose 31 places to #299 and recorded 83 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 Preston Mean?
Preston means “priest“s town” or “priest”s settlement,” derived from Old English elements.
Origin: Preston is commonly associated with English place names derived from Old English, traditionally referring to settlements where priests lived or served.
How Do You Pronounce Preston?
PronunciationPRE-stuhn
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Preston?
- History
- Historical records indicate that Preston has been used as a surname and place name in England, later adopted as a given name. It has been documented in various English-speaking countries.
Preston 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 | 10 | #9,457 |
| 2025 | Boys | 1,131 | #299 |
| 2024 | Girls | 18 | #6,394 |
| 2024 | Boys | 1,048 | #330 |
| 2023 | Girls | 17 | #6,680 |
| 2023 | Boys | 1,232 | #274 |
| 2022 | Girls | 16 | #6,984 |
| 2022 | Boys | 1,354 | #255 |
| 2021 | Girls | 22 | #5,573 |
| 2021 | Boys | 1,473 | #241 |
| 2020 | Girls | 19 | #6,083 |
| 2020 | Boys | 1,647 | #228 |
| 2019 | Girls | 19 | #6,176 |
| 2019 | Boys | 1,748 | #217 |
| 2018 | Girls | 13 | #8,146 |
| 2018 | Boys | 1,966 | #205 |
| 2017 | Girls | 21 | #5,821 |
| 2017 | Boys | 2,073 | #190 |
| 2016 | Girls | 24 | #5,445 |
| 2016 | Boys | 2,313 | #172 |
| 2015 | Girls | 19 | #6,452 |
| 2015 | Boys | 2,456 | #169 |
| 2014 | Girls | 20 | #6,207 |
| 2014 | Boys | 2,733 | #148 |
When Was Preston 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.
2007 · Boys
3,797 recorded births
National rank #114
2006 · Boys
3,719 recorded births
National rank #114
2009 · Boys
3,465 recorded births
National rank #120
2008 · Boys
3,461 recorded births
National rank #124
Where Preston 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 |
|---|---|---|
| MS | #132 | 24 |
| DC | #139 | 6 |
| LA | #148 | 34 |
| WV | #168 | 11 |
| AL | #179 | 32 |
| NH | #206 | 6 |
| HI | #214 | 5 |
| OK | #215 | 22 |