Payson
Boy name · #3255 in 2025 · Uniqueness 86/100
Payson ranks #3255 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 36 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1870, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 50,000 boys born in 2025 was named Payson.
Babies named Payson per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 108-year story
Payson first appears in the Social Security records in 1917, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 78 boys were named Payson — good for #1870 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Payson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Payson in class?
Payson scores 86 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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 sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
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 Pearson, Tayson, Maxson, Maeson, and Nosson.
PearsonTaysonMaxsonMaesonNossonHansonPattonHutson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Payson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | #3240 |
| 2024 | 50 | #2637 |
| 2023 | 46 | #2769 |
| 2022 | 39 | #3100 |
| 2021 | 51 | #2552 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2505 |
| 2019 | 47 | #2694 |
| 2018 | 56 | #2355 |
| 2017 | 59 | #2240 |
| 2016 | 71 | #2012 |
| 2015 | 78 | #1870 |
| 2014 | 74 | #1945 |
| 2013 | 57 | #2250 |
| 2012 | 60 | #2185 |
| 2011 | 51 | #2437 |
| 2010 | 60 | #2187 |
| 2009 | 72 | #1959 |
| 2008 | 37 | #3103 |
| 2007 | 49 | #2533 |
| 2006 | 27 | #3686 |
| 2005 | 43 | #2567 |
| 2004 | 38 | #2741 |
| 2003 | 27 | #3366 |
| 2002 | 39 | #2504 |
| 2001 | 37 | #2562 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Payson a popular boy name?
Payson ranked #3255 among boys in 2025 with 36 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1870.
When was the name Payson most popular?
Payson peaked in 2015, when 78 American boys received the name (ranked #1870 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Payson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 50,000 newborn American boys was named Payson. It scores 86/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.