Afton

Meaning & origin

Afton is a Scottish place name drawn from the River Afton, a stream in Ayrshire, Scotland. The name entered the English-speaking naming pool largely through Robert Burns's 1791 poem 'Sweet Afton', which romanticized the river. In the United States, Afton has been in recorded use since at least 1895, when it first appeared in Social Security data. It reached its peak popularity in 1983, ranking higher than in later decades. As of 2025, the name ranked 3,517 overall, with an estimated 1 in 37,378 newborn girls receiving the name. Its trajectory has been relatively stable over the past few decades, maintaining a consistent but low level of use. Afton has been particularly favored in the states of Utah and Minnesota, where it saw higher relative adoption. While it has never been a common choice, its literary and geographic roots give it a distinctive, lyrical quality that appeals to parents seeking a name with Scottish heritage and a soft, nature-inspired sound.

The name Afton is taken from the River Afton in Ayrshire, Scotland, which flows into the River Nith. The river's name gave rise to a place name and was popularized as a given name through Robert Burns's poem 'Sweet Afton', written in 1791. It has been used as a first name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, predominantly for girls, though initially it was unisex.