Dawson
Girl name · #2269 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Dawson? In official American birth records, Dawson has been tracked continuously since 1998, giving it 27 years of documented American history.
Dawson is currently the #2269 girl name in the United States — 81 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2685, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,222 girls born in 2025 was named Dawson.
The 27-year story
Dawson first appears in the Social Security records in 1998, when 20 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 100 babies and a rank of #1965. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Dawson per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dawson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dawson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dawson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". Rare names trade instant recognition for memorability; Dawson sits firmly on that end of the spectrum.
Where Dawson is most common
State-level data for Dawson is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Dawson
Statistically, parents drawn to Dawson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lawson, Hudson, Layton, Anderson, and Dillon.
LawsonHudsonLaytonAndersonDillonEllisonDaylinDailyn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dawson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 81 | #2256 |
| 2024 | 90 | #2118 |
| 2023 | 100 | #1965 |
| 2022 | 94 | #2048 |
| 2021 | 99 | #1971 |
| 2020 | 73 | #2394 |
| 2019 | 82 | #2231 |
| 2018 | 98 | #1997 |
| 2017 | 64 | #2689 |
| 2016 | 82 | #2308 |
| 2015 | 66 | #2685 |
| 2014 | 44 | #3549 |
| 2013 | 32 | #4422 |
| 2012 | 32 | #4486 |
| 2011 | 24 | #5543 |
| 2010 | 23 | #5771 |
| 2009 | 27 | #5226 |
| 2008 | 24 | #5750 |
| 2007 | 20 | #6552 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5233 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6245 |
| 2004 | 25 | #5062 |
| 2003 | 27 | #4668 |
| 2002 | 32 | #3978 |
| 2001 | 24 | #4834 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Dawson?
In official American birth records, the name Dawson first appeared in 1998 (over 27 years ago), when 20 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 27 years.
Is Dawson a popular girl name?
Dawson ranked #2269 among girls in 2025 with 81 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2685.
When was the name Dawson most popular?
Dawson peaked in 2023, when 100 American girls received the name (ranked #1965 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Dawson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,222 newborn American girls was named Dawson. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.