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Boy name · English

Jackson

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: from a surname meaning son of Jack

Jackson is a boy's name that comes from an English surname meaning "son of Jack". It is used in English and Portuguese.

Meaning
From a surname meaning son of Jack
Origin
English
Gender
Boy
US rank
#36 in 2025

Meaning and origin of Jackson

As a boy's name, Jackson comes from an English surname meaning "son of Jack". It is used in English and Portuguese.

Jackson is also a surname: the 20th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 686,937 people. See the most common last names.

Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names

Jackson on Nomezo lists

What our editors wrote about Jackson on 1 list.

  • “Son of Jack, and the capital of Mississippi”

    From Redneck names for boys, southern gentleman names for boys

How popular is Jackson?

US rank in 2025
#36
6,582 babies, 3,853 per million boys
Best rank
#14 in 2021
Most babies: 12,610 in 2013
Babies since 1880
At least 297,220
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 2010s, at 6,183 per million.
Babies named Jackson per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 2010s
1880s339 per million
1890s273 per million
1900s298 per million
1910s218 per million
1920s211 per million
1930s162 per million
1940s120 per million
1950s67 per million
1960s51 per million
1970s96 per million
1980s175 per million
1990s1,211 per million
2000s4,734 per million
2010s6,183 per million
2020s4,570 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#17#20#17#17#17#14#23#28#35#36

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Other forms of Jackson

The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.

  • JaxsonVariant of Jackson, a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)

Names spelled like Jackson

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

Names with a similar meaning

  • MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
  • AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
  • AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
  • AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
  • DeclanMeaning unknown, though likely begins with Old Irish dag, good (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
  • GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
  • KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
  • MariaGreek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning (Hebrew, girl)
  • NayeliPossibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open (Zapotec, girl)
  • NolanFrom an Irish surname derived from nuall, famous, loud (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • XimenaFeminine of Ximeno, a medieval Spanish name of uncertain meaning (Spanish, girl)
  • AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
  • AmariMeaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic Ammar (Arabic, unisex)
  • AnthonyMeaning unknown; from the Roman family name Antonius (Latin, boy)

Middle names for Jackson

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.

  • AbelBreath (Hebrew, boy)
  • GlennValley (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
  • KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
  • LeoA lion (Latin, boy)
  • RayCounsel protector (Germanic, boy)
  • RiverFlowing river (English, unisex)
  • RowanLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
  • SethPlaced, appointed (Hebrew, boy)

More boy names from English

  • AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
  • ArmstrongStrong in the arm (English, boy)
  • ScottFrom Scotland (English, boy)
  • AceFrom the English word ace, highest rank (English, boy)
  • AndersonSon of Andrew (English, boy)
  • ArloMeaning uncertain; perhaps from Spenser's Arlo Hill (English, boy)
  • AyrtonSettlement on the River Aire (English, boy)
  • BayA sheltered curve of coast (English, unisex)
  • BensonFrom a surname meaning son of Benedict (English, boy)
  • BrysonFrom a surname meaning son of Brice (English, boy)
  • CarterCart driver (English, boy)
  • CedarFragrant evergreen tree (English, boy)
  • ChaseHunter (English, boy)
  • ColterFrom a surname for a keeper of horses (English, boy)
  • CooperBarrel maker (English, boy)
  • CrewFrom the English word crew, a group of people (English, boy)
  • DawsonSon of David (English, boy)
  • EllisonSon of Ellis (English, unisex)

Jackson: common questions

What does the name Jackson mean?

Jackson comes from an English surname meaning "son of Jack". Checked against Behind the Name.

Is Jackson a boy or girl name?

Jackson is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 15 girls and 6,582 boys in the US were named Jackson, according to Social Security Administration data.

Where does the name Jackson come from?

Jackson comes from an English surname meaning "son of Jack". Today it is used in English and Portuguese.

How popular is the name Jackson?

Jackson ranked #36 in the US in 2025, with 6,582 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What are other forms of Jackson?

Forms of Jackson with the same meaning and origin include Jaxson (English).

What middle names go with Jackson?

Middle names that flow well with Jackson include Abel, Glenn, Knox, Leo and Ray. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.