unisex name
Prescott
PRES-kut (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 1,892
Prescott is a boy's name of English origin meaning "priest's cottage," from the Old English preost and cot. It began as a place name in Lancashire and elsewhere, became a surname, and now serves as a first name for American boys and a growing number of girls.
- Prescott is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 90 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 36,838 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1913.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Prescott Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 70 |
| 1920s | 92 |
| 1930s | 63 |
| 1940s | 87 |
| 1950s | 103 |
| 1960s | 135 |
| 1970s | 127 |
| 1980s | 172 |
| 1990s | 221 |
| 2000s | 185 |
| 2010s | 310 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 322 |
What Prescott Means
Prescott means the priest's cottage or the priest's dwelling. The name describes a building, and that plainness gives it a slightly formal, old-family feel in modern American use.
Where Prescott Comes From
Old English preost, priest, joined with cot, a cottage or shelter, to name places in several parts of England, among them Prescot in Lancashire. Surnames followed, as families were identified by their home. Puritan-era migrants took the name to New England, where the Prescott family became prominent: Colonel William Prescott commanded at Bunker Hill, and his grandson, the historian William H. Prescott, wrote the histories of Mexico and Peru. The American first-name habit of honoring such families carried it forward, and the city of Prescott, Arizona, keeps it on the map.
Prescott in Use
The name's preppy image comes largely from that New England history. Scott and Pres are the easy short forms.
How Popular Is Prescott?
In 2025, Prescott was given to 90 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Prescott 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 Prescott
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Prescott Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Prescott over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Prescott
- English PRES-kut
1 nickname for Prescott
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.
Sibling Names for Prescott
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Prescott — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Prescott
What does the name Prescott mean?
Priest's cottage, from the Old English preost and cot.
Is Prescott a boy's or a girl's name?
It's mainly a boy's name, with growing use for girls.
Where does the name Prescott come from?
From English place names, then a surname, and finally a first name.
How popular is the name Prescott?
In 2025, Prescott was given to 90 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
How many syllables are in Prescott?
Prescott has 2 syllables.
When was Prescott most popular?
Prescott peaked in 2025, when 90 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Prescott?
Prescott is usually shortened to Scott.
Is Prescott a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Prescott currently ranks #2,985 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.