Holding steady, #9,714 for boys today.
Popularity of Kinston since 1995
Babies named Kinston per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 45 |
| 2010s | 105 |
| 2020s | 28 |
Meaning & origin
Kinston is a modern, rare given name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1995. It reached its peak rank in 2019, though still remaining very uncommon. As of 2025, it ranks 9714 with an incidence of approximately 1 in 244,011 births. The name's trajectory has been stable, showing no significant increase or decline in recent years. Kinston is likely a respelling of the place name Kingston, following the fashion for surname-style names ending in '-ton'. Its usage is concentrated in the 2010s, but it has not experienced revival. The name has not been recorded in any top states, indicating its sporadic distribution across the country.
Kinston is likely a respelling or variant of the place name Kingston, which derives from Old English cyning 'king' and tūn 'enclosure, town'. The name emerged as a given name in the late 20th century, following the trend of using surnames and place names as first names. Its usage remains rare, with a recorded rank of 9714 in 2025.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kin, Stonie
Variants: Kingston
Sibling names for Kinston
Names that share Kinston's style, for a brother or sister.
