Holding steady, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Thurston since 1884
Babies named Thurston per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 7 |
| 1890s | 14 |
| 1900s | 65 |
| 1910s | 428 |
| 1920s | 542 |
| 1930s | 358 |
| 1940s | 371 |
| 1950s | 338 |
| 1960s | 296 |
| 1970s | 274 |
| 1980s | 243 |
| 1990s | 164 |
| 2000s | 173 |
| 2010s | 172 |
| 2020s | 56 |
Meaning & origin
Thurston is a rare but historically rooted name, first recorded in U.S. data in 1884. Its peak popularity came in 1913, though it has never been common. In 2025, it ranked 12,008, with approximately 1 in 341,615 newborns given the name. The trajectory is stable, indicating persistent but sparse usage. While no state shows particularly high concentration, the name carries a distinguished, old-fashioned feel, often associated with its Scandinavian and English heritage.
Thurston derives from the Old Norse name Þórsteinn, composed of the elements Þórr (the god Thor) and steinn (stone). The name was brought to England by Viking settlers and appears in the Domesday Book in 1086. Over time, it evolved from Thurstain to its modern spelling Thurston, and has been used as both a surname and a given name.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Thurstan, Thorstein, Torsten
Sibling names for Thurston
Names that share Thurston's style, for a brother or sister.
