Rising since 1998, #4,139 for boys today.
Popularity of Henson since 1916
Babies named Henson per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2015, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Henson's real moment was 2023.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 11 |
| 1920s | 45 |
| 1930s | 26 |
| 1940s | 7 |
| 1950s | 5 |
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 15 |
| 1990s | 22 |
| 2000s | 73 |
| 2010s | 194 |
| 2020s | 145 |
Meaning & origin
Henson is a rare given name with surname roots, first recorded in U.S. births in 1916. After decades of obscurity, it has been rising in use since 1998, reaching its peak rank so far in 2023 at 4139, with a 1-in-68323 frequency in 2025. The name's trajectory suggests a steady, modest growth as parents rediscover appellations with an -son suffix. While no single state shows dominance, Henson aligns with the trend of using surnames as first names, appealing to those seeking a distinctive but familiar-sounding choice.
Henson is an English patronymic surname derived from the medieval given name Hen, a diminutive of Henry. The name Henry itself comes from the Germanic name Heimirich, meaning 'home ruler.' As a given name, Henson emerged from the surname tradition, where family names were adopted as first names. Its use as a first name is relatively recent, beginning in the early 20th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hen, Sonny, Hennie
Sibling names for Henson
Names that share Henson's style, for a brother or sister.
