Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1923

Morton

Meaning moor, marsh Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

From Old English mōr (“moor, marsh”) + tūn (“settlement”).

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Morton
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1923
482 babies
All-time total
12,341
#1,069 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Morton popularity over time

12,341 babies have been named Morton since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.130.250.380.518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 191 191 19 – #240
1890s – 199 199 20 +4% #314
1900s – 213 213 21 +7% #377
1910s 5 2,391 2,396 240 +1025% #267
1920s – 4,335 4,335 434 +81% #254
1930s – 2,957 2,957 296 -32% #272
1940s – 1,009 1,009 101 -66% #504
1950s – 438 438 44 -57% #931
1960s – 270 270 27 -38% #1,307
1970s – 144 144 14 -47% #1,815
1980s – 73 73 7 -49% #2,854
1990s – 52 52 5 -29% #4,614
2000s – 24 24 2 -54% #9,624
2010s – 32 32 3 +33% #7,461
2020s (to 2025) – 8 8 1 -58% #9,407

The story of Morton

Morton is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 12,341 American babies have been named Morton. Its peak came in 1923, when 482 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Morton stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Morton?

The median living Morton is about 77 years old; half are between 63 and 87. An estimated 1,900 people named Morton are alive in the United States today.

median 77 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Morton year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – 8 #9,407
2020 – – – –
2019 – – 5 #13,497
2018 – – 11 #7,461
2017 – – – –
2016 – – 9 #8,601
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – 7 #10,407
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – 5 #13,955
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – 7 #9,816
2004 – – 7 #9,624
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – 5 #11,597
1995 – – – –
1990 – – 5 #9,062
1985 – – 8 #5,016
1980 – – 9 #4,388
1975 – – 10 #3,592
1970 – – 14 #2,592
1965 – – 21 #1,762
1960 – – 32 #1,420
1955 – – 33 #1,332
1950 – – 55 #931
1945 – – 108 #582
1940 – – 132 #504
1935 – – 310 #309
1930 – – 367 #300
1925 – – 415 #283
1920 – – 435 #262
1915 – – 286 #303
1910 – – 40 #435
1905 – – 25 #445
1900 – – 13 #721
1895 – – 23 #409
1890 – – 31 #314
1885 – – 8 #744
1880 – – 16 #456

Famous people named Morton

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Morton Feldman Morton Feldman American composer (1926–1987) Contemporary
  2. 2 Morton Gould Morton Gould American composer and pianist (1913–1996) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Morton, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Morton?

The median living Morton is about 77 years old. Half of all living Mortons are between 63 and 87 years old.

How many people named Morton are alive today?

An estimated 1,900 people named Morton are alive in the United States, based on 12,341 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Morton mean?

From Old English mōr (“moor, marsh”) + tūn (“settlement”).

How popular is the name Morton in 2025?

Morton did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Morton?

12,341 babies have been named Morton in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Morton most popular?

Morton peaked in 1923, when 482 newborns received the name.

Is Morton a boy or girl name?

Morton is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Morton rising or falling?

Morton has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Morton?

Well-known people named Morton include Morton Feldman (composer), Morton Gould (composer).

Names like Morton

Names that sound and feel close to Morton: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Morton with similar names → More names starting with M →