Dawson
Say it: DAW-sun
BoyMeans son of Daw, a pet form of David6 letters2 syllables
#432
in Ireland (2025)
#418 with spellings combined
8
babies in 2025
#224
best rank (2020)
169
babies since 2010
Down 63
10-year rank change
Dawson through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #418 |
| 2024 | 15 | #269 |
| 2023 | 10 | #351 |
| 2022 | 14 | #297 |
| 2021 | 17 | #262 |
| 2020 | 21 | #224 |
| 2019 | 14 | #302 |
| 2018 | 8 | #411 |
| 2017 | 11 | #356 |
| 2016 | 18 | #263 |
| 2015 | 11 | #355 |
| 2014 | 10 | #382 |
| 2013 | 3 | #712 |
| 2011 | 5 | #540 |
| 2010 | 4 | #611 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Dawson mean?
Son of Daw, a pet form of David
English surname, from Daw, a medieval pet form of David, with -son.
Say it right
DAWsun
The story of Dawson
Dawson began as an English surname meaning “son of Daw”. Daw was a medieval pet form of David, so the name is a cousin of Davidson and Davies. The surname spread widely and turns up in place names such as Castledawson in County Londonderry and Dawson City in Canada.
Like Carson and Grayson, it moved from surname to first name in recent decades. The American TV series Dawson’s Creek made it familiar to many parents.
Dawson first appears in the CSO records in 2010. Its best year was 2020, with 21 boys in 2020 and a place at number 226. It has always been more popular in Northern Ireland, where 18 boys were named Dawson in 2025, placing it at number 126.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Dawson (English proper noun)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Dawson | 8 | 169 |
In Northern Ireland
#126 in 2025 with 18 babies. Best rank #126 (2023); 179 babies since 1999.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.