unisex name
Ashton
ASH-tən
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 128,173
the United States
#197
2025 births
Ashton is a name of Old English origin meaning "ash tree settlement." It comes from æsc, ash, and tun, a farmstead, and is one of the most common English place names for that reason.
- Ashton is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2004, when 5,847 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,758 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1881.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ashton over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 12 |
| 1890s | 25 |
| 1900s | 36 |
| 1910s | 193 |
| 1920s | 248 |
| 1930s | 190 |
| 1940s | 164 |
| 1950s | 158 |
| 1960s | 145 |
| 1970s | 337 |
| 1980s | 5,770 |
| 1990s | 16,639 |
| 2000s | 37,231 |
| 2010s | 32,061 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 14,718 |
What Ashton means
Ashton means the settlement among ash trees. Both elements are ordinary Old English words, which is why the name occurs independently across dozens of English counties.
Where Ashton comes from
Ashton combines the Old English æsc, the ash tree, with tun, an enclosure or farmstead — the element behind every English -ton place name. Ash was a valued timber for spear shafts and tool handles, and the tree carried weight in Norse belief as Yggdrasil, the world tree. Families took the name from whichever Ashton they came from, so bearers are unrelated far more often than with a rarer surname. Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester is the largest.
Ashton in use
Our data records Ashton for both sexes and shows it stable, peaking in 2004, at 197 in the United States against 451 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1881. Its use is predominantly male, unlike Ashley from the same æsc element, which flipped almost entirely to girls.
How popular is Ashton?
In 2025, Ashton was given to 1,886 babies in the United States, ranking #197 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Ashton is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Ashton
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ashton also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ashton over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Ashton
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Ashton in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ashton
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ashton — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ashton
What does the name Ashton mean?
Ashton means "ash tree settlement," from the Old English æsc, ash, and tun, a farmstead.
Is Ashton related to Ashley?
They share the æsc element. Ashley is the ash clearing; Ashton the ash settlement — and Ashley flipped to female use while Ashton did not.
Is Ashton a boy's or a girl's name?
Both in our data, though it remains predominantly male.
How popular is the name Ashton?
In 2025, Ashton was given to 1,886 babies in the United States, ranking #197 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
How many syllables are in Ashton?
Ashton has 2 syllables.
When was Ashton most popular?
Ashton peaked in 2004, when 5,847 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Ashton?
Ashton is usually shortened to Ash.
Is Ashton a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ashton currently ranks #197 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.