Dawson means son of David — the beloved king's lineage carried through an English patronymic. Dawson's Creek made it the defining teen-drama name of the late 1990s, with James Van Der Beek's Dawson Leery becoming the face of millennial adolescence. The Dawson City gold rush brought thousands to the Yukon. Two syllables of David's heritage, creek-side teen angst, and Klondike ambition.
Hebrew David (beloved) + English son→surname Dawson→given name
1
English / Germanic roots
Dawson means son of David, from the Hebrew beloved. Dawson's Creek (1998–2003) was a defining teen drama, making Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) the face of late-90s adolescence. Dawson City, Yukon was the centre of the Klondike Gold Rush (1896–1899). The name entered the US charts, carried by the show's cultural impact.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval as a patronymic surname; Dawson's Creek premiered 1998.
3
Today
Dawson remains a beloved choice, ranking #192 in the US. 51,610 babies have been named Dawson since 1885.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Dawson?
1999peak year
Dawson entered U.S. records in 1885, near the turn of the 20th century. Its popularity climbed over the following decades. In 1999, 2,802 babies received the name (ranked #136). Today it sits around #192, with roughly 2,113 babies named Dawson each year. Dawson's usage has held roughly steady recently. In total, around 51,610 babies have been registered with this name since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
2,802 Babies named in peak year (ranked #136)
2,113Avg. per year (last decade)
21,130Total registrations last 10 years
51,610All-time total (since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #192)Very popular
Dawson's Life Path 3 is the communicator's number — communicating adolescence. People named Dawson tend to be emotionally expressive, nostalgic, and gifted at articulating what growing up feels like.
♡
Articulates growing up
✦
Emotionally expressive
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Creek-side depth
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Gold-rush ambition
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David's beloved son
D4
A1
W5
S1
O6
N5
Sum: 22 → Life path 4
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Personality of Dawson
🏛️
Steady & reliable
When they make a promise, they keep it.
📐
Methodical
Thorough, careful, precise.
💪
Quietly powerful
Their strength is always there when it matters.
🌿
Grounded
No matter what swirls around them, they stay centred.
Every name has a homeland. Discover strong boy names rooted in cultures from around the world — each with full meanings, origin stories and pronunciation.