Total births
28,194
Unisex name · since 1921
Paxton
Paxton has 28,194 recorded births since 1921 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2016 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #288
- among boys today
- 28,194
- born since 1921
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Paxton is the #288 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 28,194 recorded since 1921.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Paxton has been recorded 28,194 times among boys since 1921, currently ranked #288 nationally and more common than 98% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1921 to 2025.
- #288 among boys today
- 28,194 born since 1921
- 2010s peak decade
- 98% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Paxton is currently the #288 unisex name in America, more common than 98% of boys - 28,194 born since 1921, peaking in the 2010s.
- #288
- among boys today
- 28,194
- born since 1921
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Paxton vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#288
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 98% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
55% of everyone ever named Paxton was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
1,993 babies were named Paxton in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Paxton compares
28,194 Top 5% higher than 95% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Paxton's all-time total is 77x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Paxton | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 28,194 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,993 | 23 | 22,252 |
Paxton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Paxton splits its recorded history at 1985: 98% of all births land in the more recent half, 2% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1928 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2016 peak of 1,993 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Paxton at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2016
Current rank
#288
Active since
1921
Paxton popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1921–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 1,993
- Annual births at peak, across 105 years of records
Paxton popularity over time - girls
2,124 total births recorded since 1991 (Paxton as girls' name)
Paxton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Paxton's strongest decade.
15,404 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 55% of all-time use.
Paxton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 33
1920s
33 births
- 1930s 16
1930s
16 births
- 1940s 20
1940s
20 births
- 1950s 28
1950s
28 births
- 1960s 124
1960s
124 births
- 1970s 332
1970s
332 births
- 1980s 219
1980s
219 births
- 1990s 959
1990s
959 births
- 2000s 3,501
2000s
3,501 births
- 2010s
2010s
15,404 births
- 2020s
2020s
7,558 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 15,404 births (55% of all-time use).
How Paxton compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Paxton's total volume
Paxton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Paxton by state
Where Paxton concentrates geographically, total births since 1921
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 2,453 | 8.7% |
| #2 | California | | 1,800 | 6.4% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 1,276 | 4.5% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 986 | 3.5% |
| #5 | Florida | | 942 | 3.3% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 928 | 3.3% |
| #7 | Washington | | 919 | 3.3% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 874 | 3.1% |
Texas share of Paxton's total US births 8.7%
Even split
2,453 of 28,194 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Paxton appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Paxton? ▼
28,194 babies have been named Paxton since 1921. It currently ranks #288 among boys. The peak year was 2016 with 1,993 births.
When was Paxton most popular? ▼
Paxton was most popular in the 2010s decade with 15,404 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
Where is Paxton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Paxton are Texas (2,453 births), California (1,800 births), Ohio (1,276 births).
Is Paxton a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Paxton is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 28,194 births, and as a girl's name it has 2,124 births.
How long has the name Paxton been used? ▼
Records for Paxton go back to 1921, giving 105 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Paxton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Pax, Paxtyn, Paxon, Paxson, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Paxton's data
- Paxton's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (15,404 total births) through the 2020s (7,558) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Paxtons (2,453 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Paxton
Nearby Names Like Paxton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Paxton
Pax Boy
#1966 1,044 births
Paxtyn Boy
#3874 493 births
Paxon Boy
#9364 475 births
Paxson Boy
#6653 443 births
Paxten Boy
#7120 304 births
Compare Paxton side by side: Paxton vs Pax Paxton vs Paxtyn Paxton vs Paxon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Paxton
Remington #287
23,977 births · Peak 2019
Cody #289
292,009 births · Peak 1992
Angelo #286
86,106 births · Peak 2007
Finley #290
19,380 births · Peak 2021
Jorge #285
139,476 births · Peak 2006
Kayson #291
15,201 births · Peak 2025
Kenneth #284
1,283,974 births · Peak 1957
Koa #292
7,702 births · Peak 2025
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1921–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Paxton: #288 Unisex Name - 28,194 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/paxton. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Paxton draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.