Preston
From Old English prēost (“priest”) + tūn (“settlement”).
Every Preston since 1880 — 123,757 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Preston
Preston is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #299 in 2025 with 1,131 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 123,757 American babies have been named Preston. Its peak came in 2007, when 3,814 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Preston stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Preston 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 | 10 | #9,944 | 1,131 | #299 |
| 2024 | 18 | #6,591 | 1,048 | #330 |
| 2023 | 17 | #6,866 | 1,232 | #274 |
| 2022 | 16 | #7,217 | 1,354 | #255 |
| 2021 | 22 | #5,700 | 1,473 | #241 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6,272 | 1,647 | #228 |
| 2019 | 19 | #6,364 | 1,748 | #217 |
| 2018 | 13 | #8,501 | 1,966 | #205 |
| 2017 | 21 | #5,990 | 2,073 | #190 |
| 2016 | 24 | #5,571 | 2,313 | #172 |
| 2015 | 19 | #6,664 | 2,456 | #169 |
| 2014 | 20 | #6,389 | 2,733 | #148 |
| 2013 | 15 | #8,066 | 2,670 | #148 |
| 2012 | 14 | #8,529 | 2,945 | #130 |
| 2011 | 21 | #6,291 | 3,037 | #136 |
| 2010 | 15 | #8,196 | 3,108 | #131 |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,496 | 3,465 | #120 |
| 2008 | 13 | #9,369 | 3,461 | #124 |
| 2007 | 17 | #7,660 | 3,797 | #114 |
| 2006 | 13 | #9,146 | 3,719 | #114 |
| 2005 | 16 | #7,414 | 2,728 | #146 |
| 2004 | 21 | #5,917 | 2,646 | #152 |
| 2003 | 14 | #7,899 | 2,640 | #154 |
| 2002 | 17 | #6,622 | 2,515 | #155 |
| 2001 | 18 | #6,252 | 2,618 | #152 |
| 2000 | 24 | #4,935 | 2,743 | #142 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,932 | 1,715 | #182 |
| 1990 | 9 | #9,024 | 1,527 | #198 |
| 1985 | 7 | #9,004 | 978 | #238 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,640 | 763 | #277 |
| 1975 | — | — | 450 | #368 |
| 1970 | — | — | 521 | #356 |
| 1965 | — | — | 456 | #357 |
| 1960 | — | — | 477 | #358 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,497 | 524 | #324 |
| 1950 | — | — | 535 | #292 |
| 1945 | — | — | 450 | #284 |
| 1940 | — | — | 381 | #288 |
| 1935 | — | — | 324 | #302 |
| 1930 | 10 | #3,012 | 379 | #293 |
| 1925 | — | — | 426 | #278 |
| 1920 | — | — | 482 | #251 |
| 1915 | — | — | 388 | #246 |
| 1910 | — | — | 112 | #222 |
| 1905 | — | — | 82 | #211 |
| 1900 | — | — | 78 | #227 |
| 1895 | — | — | 58 | #233 |
| 1890 | — | — | 49 | #242 |
| 1885 | — | — | 48 | #238 |
| 1880 | — | — | 47 | #243 |
Famous people named Preston
- Preston Tucker Engineer · 1903–1956
- Preston Sturges Film director · 1898–1959
- Preston Foster Actor · 1900–1970
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Preston mean?
From Old English prēost (“priest”) + tūn (“settlement”).
How popular is the name Preston in 2025?
Preston ranked #299 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,131 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Preston?
123,757 babies have been named Preston in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Preston most popular?
Preston peaked in 2007, when 3,814 newborns received the name.
Is Preston a boy or girl name?
Preston is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Preston rising or falling?
Preston is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Preston?
Well-known people named Preston include Preston Tucker (engineer), Preston Sturges (film director), Preston Foster (actor).