Boston Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name 'Boston' originates from Old English, meaning 'Botolph's town', named after a 7th-century monk. It evolved from 'Botolph's tun' to its modern form. The city is historically significant, established in 1630, and is known for its rich cultural heritage. There is no biblical relevance associated with the name. Today, Boston is seen as a historic and educational hub, with notable figures like Benjamin Franklin and John Adams.
The name Boston is most popular in Utah, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Generation Alpha generation in the MidWest region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Boston has been too falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, falling for male in Northeast, falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Boston' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 2169th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 2706th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 3964th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 6839th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 2526th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 748th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 622nd out of 23106 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 15798th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 5185th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 3404th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Boston' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Boston"
Pronunciation
/ˈbɔːstən/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name 'Boston' is derived from the Old English 'Botolph's town', named after a 7th-century Christian monk named Botolph who founded a monastery in the area.
Meaning
Botolph's town
Language Evolution
Botolph's tun, Botolphston, Boston
Historical Usage
Boston gained popularity in the early 17th century when it was established as a city in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England.
Variants & Derivatives
Bostan, Bost, Bos
Modern Popularity & Image
Boston is currently perceived as a historic and culturally rich city known for its significant role in American history, education, and sports.
Famous People
Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Paul Revere, Marilyn Monroe, Matt Damon
Explore More Boston Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Boston"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Boston"
"Boston" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 2169th of 7545 | 223 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 2706th of 6773 | 145 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 3964th of 7552 | 72 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 6839th of 10718 | 29 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 2526th of 16616 | 394 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 748th of 24088 | 4,220 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 622nd of 23106 | 5,338 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 15798th of 27321 | 35 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 5185th of 35406 | 395 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 3404th of 30306 | 559 |
Regional Popularity of "Boston" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - |
71.30% 1687th/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - |
75.65% 1780th/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
64.56% 2379th/3685 |
- |
59.30% 3080th/5194 |
47.51% 3001st/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
14.51% 665th/4582 |
38.11% 1968th/5164 |
12.29% 899th/7313 |
7.14% 533rd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
12.68% 505th/3984 |
35.86% 1609th/4487 |
9.60% 655th/6822 |
7.98% 501st/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Boston" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - |
87.19% 6376th/7313 |
56.59% 4223rd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
84.49% 3366th/3984 |
- |
64.04% 4369th/6822 |
41.01% 2574th/6276 |
State-by-State Popularity of "Boston"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Boston" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.