unisex name
Sutton
SUT-ən
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 20,833
the United States
#181
2025 births
Sutton is a name of Old English origin meaning "southern settlement." It comes from suth, south, and tun, a farmstead — and it is one of the most common place names in England for exactly that reason.
- Sutton is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 2,715 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,221 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1912.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Sutton over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 22 |
| 1960s | 56 |
| 1970s | 24 |
| 1980s | 103 |
| 1990s | 378 |
| 2000s | 1,129 |
| 2010s | 5,988 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 12,317 |
What Sutton means
Sutton means the south farm or southern settlement. Both elements are ordinary Old English words, which is why the name occurs independently in dozens of English counties.
Where Sutton comes from
Sutton combines the Old English suth, south, with tun, an enclosure or farmstead — the element behind every English -ton place name. Because almost any settlement has something to its south, Sutton is among the most frequent English place names, with over sixty distinct places bearing it. Families took it as a surname from whichever they came from, meaning bearers are unrelated to each other far more often than with a rarer name. Its use as a first name is recent, American and predominantly female.
Sutton in use
Our data records Sutton for both sexes and shows it peaking in 2025 and still rising, and it first appears in our records in 1912. Like Harper and Piper, it has shifted to predominantly female use in America — a pattern that has not traveled to Britain, where it remains rare as a given name.
How popular is Sutton?
In 2025, Sutton was given to 2,715 babies in the United States, ranking #181 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Sutton 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 Sutton
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Sutton also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Sutton over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sutton 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 Sutton
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Sutton — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Sutton
What does the name Sutton mean?
Sutton means "southern settlement," from the Old English suth, south, and tun, a farmstead.
Why is Sutton such a common place name?
Because almost any settlement has something south of it. Over sixty distinct English places are called Sutton.
Is Sutton a boy's or a girl's name?
Both, though American use is predominantly female. It remains rare as a first name in Britain.
How popular is the name Sutton?
In 2025, Sutton was given to 2,715 babies in the United States, ranking #181 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
How many syllables are in Sutton?
Sutton has 2 syllables.
When was Sutton most popular?
Sutton peaked in 2025, when 2,715 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Sutton a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Sutton currently ranks #181 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.