Payson
Girl name · #3329 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Payson? In official American birth records, Payson has been tracked continuously since 1995, giving it 30 years of documented American history.
Payson ranks #3329 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 47 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2619, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 38,298 girls born in 2025 was named Payson.
The 30-year story
Payson first appears in the Social Security records in 1995, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 116 girls were named Payson — good for #1758 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Payson per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Payson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Payson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Payson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Payson will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Payson is most common
State-level data for Payson 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 Payson
Statistically, parents drawn to Payson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Alysson, Emmerson, Hudson, Crimson, and Aniston.
AlyssonEmmersonHudsonCrimsonAnistonLawsonBostonMayson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Payson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #3296 |
| 2024 | 38 | #3892 |
| 2023 | 58 | #2891 |
| 2022 | 61 | #2792 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2674 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3778 |
| 2019 | 43 | #3552 |
| 2018 | 46 | #3396 |
| 2017 | 56 | #2925 |
| 2016 | 54 | #3060 |
| 2015 | 68 | #2619 |
| 2014 | 72 | #2497 |
| 2013 | 99 | #1977 |
| 2012 | 111 | #1823 |
| 2011 | 116 | #1758 |
| 2010 | 89 | #2185 |
| 2009 | 19 | #6811 |
| 2008 | 10 | #10807 |
| 2007 | 10 | #10818 |
| 2006 | 9 | #11417 |
| 2005 | 12 | #8883 |
| 2004 | 8 | #11624 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10425 |
| 2002 | 8 | #11108 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10102 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Payson?
In official American birth records, the name Payson first appeared in 1995 (over 30 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 30 years.
Is Payson a popular girl name?
Payson ranked #3329 among girls in 2025 with 47 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2619.
When was the name Payson most popular?
Payson peaked in 2011, when 116 American girls received the name (ranked #1758 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Payson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 38,298 newborn American girls was named Payson. 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.