Holding steady, #9,714 for boys today.
Popularity of Johnston since 1914
Babies named Johnston per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2007, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Johnston's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 31 |
| 1920s | 33 |
| 1930s | 6 |
| 1940s | 13 |
| 1950s | 18 |
| 1960s | 16 |
| 1970s | 38 |
| 1980s | 56 |
| 1990s | 71 |
| 2000s | 105 |
| 2010s | 79 |
| 2020s | 46 |
Meaning & origin
Johnston is a Scottish surname turned given name, first recorded as a first name in 1914. Its peak year of use was 1914, and it has since remained a rare but stable choice. The name means 'son of John', reflecting its origin as a patronymic surname from Dumfriesshire. In 2025, it ranked 9714th among U.S. baby names, given to about 1 in 244,011 boys. Despite its rarity, Johnston has consistent if minimal usage, with no particular concentration in any state. As a surname-style name, it fits alongside other Scottish clan names like Campbell and Fraser.
Johnston is a Scottish surname that originated as a place name meaning 'John's town' in what is now Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Over time it came to be used as a given name, following the tradition of using surnames as first names. It is effectively a patronymic meaning 'son of John', from the given name John and the common suffix -ston (town).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Johnny
Variants: Johnstone
Sibling names for Johnston
Names that share Johnston's style, for a brother or sister.
