Jackson: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Updated April 25, 2024

Table of contents

Boy name origins & meanings

Jackson baby name

Hebrew : The supplanter
Hebrew : God's grace

Syllables: 2

Boy name variations

How Popular Is The Name Jackson

Family name origins & meanings

English, Scottish, and northern Irish : patronymic from Jack. As an American surname this has absorbed other patronymics beginning with J- in various European languages.
This extremely common British name was brought over by numerous different bearers in the 17th and 18th centuries. One forebear was the father and namesake of the seventh U.S. president, Andrew Jackson, who migrated to SC from Carrickfergus in the north of Ireland in 1765. The Confederate General Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson came from VA, where his great-grandfather John, likewise of Scotch–Irish stock, had settled after emigrating to America in 1748.

Famous people with this first name

Jackson Browne

Famous people with this last name

Michael Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Popularity

According to Social Security Administration data, Jackson has been consistently popular over the last two decades and has remained in the top 20 baby names for boys since 2012. It has been in the top 100 names since 2000.

However, it is the 22nd most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Jackson was at its peak popularity in March 2019.

Jackson is a relatively newly popular name for boys. Originally used as a surname, it literally means “son of Jack.” It has been at its peak popularity over the course of the last five years thanks to celebs who have chosen the name for their sons including Spike Lee, Maya Rudolph, Carson Daly, and more. In fact, it is so popular that it is actually featured in the top 100 names in several variations including Jaxon and Jaxson