Dayton Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Dayton has its roots in Old English, meaning 'day town', and has evolved through various historical forms. It reflects a connection to community and settlement, with no biblical relevance. The name became popular in the 19th century, particularly in the United States, and continues to hold a modern and positive image.
The name Dayton is most popular in Hawaii, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) 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, Dayton has been falling 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. 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. Across generations, 'Dayton' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 758th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 845th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 1149th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 1390th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 951st out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 551st out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 889th out of 23106 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 11965th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 5768th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 6774th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Dayton' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Dayton"
Pronunciation
/ˈdeɪtən/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name Dayton is derived from the Old English elements 'dæg', meaning 'day', and 'tun', meaning 'town' or 'enclosure'. Thus, it can be interpreted as 'the town of the day' or 'day's settlement'.
Meaning
day town
Language Evolution
Dægton, Daiton, Daytun
Historical Usage
The name Dayton gained popularity in the United States in the 19th century, particularly as a place name for cities and towns, most notably Dayton, Ohio.
Variants & Derivatives
Day, Daiton, Deyton
Modern Popularity & Image
Currently, Dayton is viewed as a modern and unique name, often associated with cities and a sense of community.
Famous People
Dayton Allen, Dayton Duncan, Dayton McNulty
Explore More Dayton Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Dayton"
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 "Dayton"
"Dayton" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 758th of 7545 | 1,202 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 845th of 6773 | 1,035 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 1149th of 7552 | 819 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 1390th of 10718 | 613 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 951st of 16616 | 1,762 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 551st of 24088 | 7,015 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 889th of 23106 | 2,984 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 11965th of 27321 | 68 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 5768th of 35406 | 341 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 6774th of 30306 | 210 |
Regional Popularity of "Dayton" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
45.55% 645th/1416 |
50.69% 699th/1379 |
35.33% 836th/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
55.30% 855th/1546 |
53.21% 828th/1556 |
44.67% 1051st/2353 |
73.11% 1131st/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- |
56.09% 1363rd/2430 |
57.17% 1631st/2853 |
46.88% 1301st/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
60.98% 1791st/2937 |
- |
57.82% 2034th/3518 |
60.78% 2458th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
21.76% 802nd/3685 |
42.70% 1911th/4475 |
19.81% 1029th/5194 |
15.66% 989th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
8.29% 380th/4582 |
21.03% 1086th/5164 |
7.60% 556th/7313 |
8.07% 602nd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
17.47% 696th/3984 |
34.03% 1527th/4487 |
13.32% 909th/6822 |
15.89% 997th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Dayton" 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) |
100.00% 4582nd/4582 |
- | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - |
100.00% 6822nd/6822 |
- |
State-by-State Popularity of "Dayton"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Dayton" 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.