“We took some time to settle into our new rhythm before sharing this sweet news.”
Patronymic names ending in son are more popular now than ever before.
A patronymic name, also known as a patronym, is a name derived from a father's or paternal ancestor's name, typically by adding a suffix or prefix meaning "son of" or "daughter of.”
In English, patronymic names generally end in son. For example, Jackson translates to “son of Jack.”
RELATED: 25+ Grandpa-Approved Classic Baby Boy Names
Such names are also found in other languages, albeit with a different suffix or prefix. For example, the Mac- or Mc- at the start of an Irish name means “son of,” while an O translates to “descendant of.”
In that case, O'Brien means “descendant of Brien” and McDonald means “son of Donald.”
While most patronymic names originated as surnames (last names) in the United States, many of them are now used as first names — especially English patronymic names that end in son.
The only difference now is that parents primarily like patronymic names for their sound, not their meaning.
Most Popular Patronymic Names Ending In Son
Despite losing their meaning, patronymic names ending in son are still popular in the U.S. today.
That’s especially true for Hudson (son of Hudd or Hugh), Jackson (son of Jack), Grayson (son of a steward) and Madison (son of Maud or Matthew) — all of which were in the SSA’s top-50 in 2024.
Mason also cracked the top-50, but it’s more of an occupational name (despite ending in son).
Outside of those five, nine other patronymic names that end in son landed in the top-200, including Addison, Allison, Jameson, Harrison, Carson, Greyson, Dawson, Bryson, Emerson and Jaxson.
Jason and Stetson also cracked the top-200, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Let’s take a look at some of the other popular patronymic (and non-patronymic) names that end with son.
Anderson
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: Son of Andrew
Anderson, pronounced AN-der-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Andrew,” with Andrew coming from the Greek name Andreas and, ultimately, the Greek word andreios, meaning “manly” or “masculine.”
Colson
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: Son of Cole; Son of Col
Colson, pronounced KOHL-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Cole,” with Cole either being a diminutive of Nicholas, meaning “victory of the people” in Greek, or inspired by the English word coal.
Kayson
Origin: American; Invented
Meaning: N/A
Kayson, pronounced KAY-sun, is a variant of Cason and was likely popularized in the U.S. for its proximity to names like Jason and Mason. It’s not a patronymic name, but it ends in -son and is rising in popularity.
Lawson
Origin: English; Roman; Latin
Meaning: Son of Lawrence
Lawson, pronounced LAW-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Lawrence,” with Lawrence coming from the Roman cognomen Laurentius, meaning “from Laurentum,” an ancient city in Italy. It can also derive from the Latin word laurus, meaning “laurel.”
Benson
Origin: English; Latin; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Benedict; Son of Benjamin
Benson, pronounced BEN-sun, traditionally means “son of Benedict,” with Benedict meaning “blessed” in Latin. It can also translate to “son of Benjamin,” with Benjamin meaning “son of the south” in Hebrew.
Tyson
Origin: English; Old French
Meaning: Firebrand; Quarrelsome
Tyson, pronounced TYE-sun, isn’t a traditional patronymic name, but rather derives from the Old French word tison, meaning “firebrand.” As an English surname, it was often given to a quarrelsome person.
Kyson
Origin: American; Invented
Meaning: Son of Kyle
Kyson, pronounced KYE-sun, is a variant of Tyson and was popularized alongside similar-sounding names like Kayson and Kaison. Though not traditionally a patronymic name, it could mean “son of Kyle.”
Nelson
Origin: English; Irish
Meaning: Son of Neil
Nelson, pronounced NELL-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Neil,” with Neil coming from the Irish name Niall and believed to derive from the Old Irish word nia, meaning “hero,” or nél, meaning “cloud.”
Samson
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Sun; Son of Samuel
Samson, pronounced SAM-sun, comes from the Hebrew name Shimshon and derives from the Hebrew word shemesh, meaning “sun.” Though not a traditional patronymic name, it could mean “son of Samuel.”
Wilson
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of William
Wilson, pronounced WILL-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of William,” with William coming from the Germanic name Willehelm, composed of the elements willo, meaning “desire,” and helm, meaning “protection.”
Jefferson
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Jeffrey
Jefferson, pronounced JEH-fur-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Jeffrey,” with Jeffrey being a variant of Geoffrey, which is believed to derive from the Old Germanic gawi, meaning “territory,” and fridu, meaning “peace.”
Edison
Origin: English
Meaning: Son of Edward; Son of Edith
Edison, pronounced EH-duh-sin or EH-dih-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Edward,” with Edward meaning “rich guard” in Old English, or “son of Edith,” with Edith meaning “prosperous in war.”
Jettson
Origin: English
Meaning: Son of Jett
Jettson, pronounced JET-sun, is a modern patronymic name meaning “son of Jett,” with Jett coming from the English word jet, referring to the aircraft, or jetstone, referring to the black, opaque coal-like gemstone.
Watson
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Wat; Son of Walter
Watson, pronounced WAHT-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Wat,” with Wat being a medieval diminutive of Walter, which is composed of the Germanic elements walt, meaning “power,” and heri, meaning “army.”
Wesson
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Western town
Wesson, pronounced WEH-sun, is likely an invented name inspired by the name Weston, which is a place name derived from the Old English words west, referring to the direction, and tun, meaning “town.”
Judson
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Jud; Son of Jordan
Judson, pronounced JUD-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Jud,” with Jud being a diminutive of Jordan, which comes from the Hebrew name Yarden and word yarad, meaning “descend” or “flow down.”
Hudson
Origin: English; Old High German
Meaning: Son of Hudde; Son of Hugh
Hudson, pronounced HUD-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Hudde,” with Hudde being a diminutive of Hugh, which derives from the Old High German word hugu, meaning “mind” or “spirit.”
Jackson
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Jack
Jackson, pronounced JAK-sin, means “son of Jack,” with Jack being a diminutive of John, which derives from the Hebrew name Yoḥanan and Hebrew words yo, meaning “God,” and hanan, meaning “gracious.”
Grayson
Origin: English
Meaning: Son of a steward; Son of a gray-haired man
Grayson, pronounced GRAY-sin, is a patronymic name that could translate to “son of a gray-haired man,” but other theories suggest that it comes from the Middle English word greyve, meaning “steward.”
Madison
Origin: English; Germanic; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Maud; Son of Matthew
Madison, pronounced MAD-ih-sun, means “son of Maud,” with Maud being a diminutive of Matilda, meaning “strength in battle.” It can also mean “son of Matthew,” with Matthew meaning “gift of God.”
Mason
Origin: English; Old French
Meaning: Stoneworker
Mason, pronounced MAY-sin, originated as an English occupational surname given to someone who worked with stone. It ultimately derives from the Old French word maçon, meaning “stone mason.”
Addison
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Adam
Addison, pronounced AD-dih-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Adam,” with Adam deriving directly from the Hebrew word adam, meaning “man” or “to be red,” like the ruddy colour of human skin.
Allison
Origin: English; Greek; Brythonic
Meaning: Son of Alan; Son of Alex
Allison, pronounced AL-lih-sun, could be an elaborated form of Alice, but other theories suggest it means “son of Alan,” with Alan meaning “little rock,” or “son of Alex,” with Alex meaning “defender” or “helper.”
Jameson
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of James
Jameson, pronounced JAY-mih-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of James,” with James being a diminutive of Jacob, ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov, meaning “supplanter” or “holder of the heel.”
Harrison
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Harry
Harrison, pronounced HAIR-ih-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Harry,” with Harry being a diminutive of Henry, ultimately derived from the Germanic name Heimirich, meaning “home ruler.”
Carson
Origin: English; Scottish; Irish
Meaning: Son of Carr
Carson, pronounced KAHR-sin, originated as a Scottish surname, though its meaning is debated. Some say it means “son of Carr,” with Carr meaning “spear” in Irish or “thicket” and “marsh” in Old Norse.
Greyson
Origin: English
Meaning: Son of a steward; Son of a gray-haired man
Greyson, pronounced GRAY-sin, is a variant of Grayson, which either means “son of a gray-haired man,” from the color gray, or “son of a steward,” from the Middle English word greyve, meaning “steward.”
Dawson
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of David
Dawson, pronounced DAW-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of David,” with David coming from the Hebrew name Dawid, ultimately derived from the Hebrew word dod, meaning “beloved” or “uncle.”
Bryson
Origin: English; Latin; Gaulish
Meaning: Son of Brice
Bryson, pronounced BRY-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Brice,” with Brice coming from the Latin name Bricius, which is believed to derive from a Gaulish word meaning “speckled” or “freckled.”
Emerson
Origin: English; French; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Emery
Emerson, pronounced EH-mer-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Emery,” with Emery being the Norman French form of Emmerich, which is composed of the Germanic elements irmin, meaning “great,” and rih, meaning “ruler.”
Jaxson
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Jack
Jaxson, pronounced JAK-sin, is a variant of Jackson, which is a patronymic name meaning “son of Jack,” with Jack being a diminutive of John and derivative of Yohanan, meaning “God is gracious” in Hebrew.
Iverson
Origin: English; Old Norse
Meaning: Son of Iver; Son of Ivy
Iverson, pronounced EYE-ver-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Iver,” with Iver being a variant of Ívarr, which is composed of the Old Norse elements ýr, meaning “yew tree,” and herr, meaning “warrior.” It can also non-traditionally mean “son of Ivy.”
Ellison
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Ellis; Son of Elias; Son of Elijah
Ellison, pronounced EL-ih-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Ellis,” with Ellis being a variant of Elias and, ultimately, Elijah, which is composed of the Hebrew elements el and yah, both of which mean “God.”
Orson
Origin: Norman French; Latin
Meaning: Bear
Orson, pronounced OHR-sin, comes from a Norman nickname derived from the Norman French word ors and, ultimately, the Latin word ursus, meaning “bear.” It was popularized by director/actor Orson Welles.
Jason
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Healer
Jason, pronounced JAY-sin, comes from the Greek name Iason, which derives from the Greek word iaomai, meaning “to heal.” In Greek mythology, Jason was a renowned hero and leader of the Argonauts.
Stetson
Origin: English
Meaning: Steward’s town; Wide-brimmed hat
Stetson, pronounced STET-sin, originated as an English surname derived from the name of a village in Devon, England known as Stidston, meaning “steward’s town.” It can also refer to a wide-brimmed hat made by the John B. Stetson Company.
Bronson
Origin: English
Meaning: Son of the brown one
Bronson, pronounced BRAHN-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of a brown-haired man” or “son of the brown one.” The name was widely popularized by actor Charles Bronson, known for his tough guy roles.
Tennison
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: Son of Tenney; Son of Dennis
Tennison, pronounced TEN-ih-sin, is a variant of Tennyson, which is a patronymic name meaning “son of Tenney,” with Tenney being a diminutive of Dennis, which comes from Dionysos, the Greek god of wine.
Garrison
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Gerard; Son of Gerald; Son of Gary
Garrison, pronounced GAIR-ih-sin, is a patronymic name meaning either “son of Gerard,” with Gerard meaning “brave spear” in German, or “son of Gerald,” with Gerald meaning “powerful spear” in German.
Anson
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: Son of Agnes; Son of Anne
Anson, pronounced AN-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Agnes,” with Agnes being a Latinized form of Hagne, which derives from the Greek word hagnos, meaning “chaste,” “celibate” or “pure.” It can also (non-traditionally) translate to “son of Anne.”
Pierson
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: Son of Piers; Son of Peter
Pierson, pronounced PEER-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Piers,” with Piers being a medieval form of Peter, which comes from the Greek name Petros and word petra, meaning “stone.”
Larson
Origin: English; Scandinavian
Meaning: Son of Lars
Larson, pronounced LAHR-sin, is a variant of Larsen, which is a patronymic name meaning “son of Lars,” with Lars being the Scandinavian form of Laurence, which means “from Laurentum” or “laurel” in Latin.
Jenson
Origin: English; Danish
Meaning: Son of Jens; Son of John
Jenson, pronounced JEN-sin, is a variant of Jensen, which is a patronymic name meaning “son of Jens,” with Jens being the Danish form of John, which comes from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning “God is gracious.”
Crimson
Origin: English; Arabic
Meaning: Purple-red color
Crimson, pronounced KRIM-sun, derives from the Middle English word cremesyn and Arabic word qirmiz, referring to the purplish-red color. It was originally the name for kermes dye produced by a small insect.
Gibson
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Gib; Son of Gilbert
Gibson, pronounced GIHB-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Gib,” with Gib being a diminutive of Gilbert, which is composed of the Germanic elements gisal, meaning “pledge,” and beraht, meaning “bright.”
Robinson
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Robin; Son of Robert
Robinson, pronounced RAH-bin-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Robin,” with Robin being a medieval diminutive of Robert, which is composed of the Germanic elements hruod, meaning “fame,” and beraht, meaning “bright.”
Morrison
Origin: English; Latin; Greek
Meaning: Son of Morris; Son of Maurice
Morrison, pronounced MOHR-ih-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Morris,” with Morris being the medieval form of Maurice, which comes from the Latin name Maurus, meaning “Moorish” or “North African.”
Thompson
Origin: English; Aramaic
Meaning: Son of Thomas
Thompson, pronounced TAHM-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Thomas,” with Thomas coming from the Aramaic name Teʾoma, meaning “twin.” It’s the perfect name to give to a father’s mini-me.
Richardson
Origin: English; Old German
Meaning: Son of Richard
Richardson, pronounced RIH-churd-sin, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Richard,” with Richard being composed of the Old German elements rih, meaning “ruler,” and hart, meaning “brave” or “hardy.”
Erikson
Origin: English; Old Norse
Meaning: Son of Erik; Son of Eric
Erikson, pronounced AIR-ihk-sun, is a patronymic name meaning “son of Erik,” with Erik being a variant of Eric, which is composed of the Old Norse elements ei, meaning “forever,” and rikr, meaning “ruler.”
Henderson
Origin: English; Germanic
Meaning: Son of Henry; Son of Heinrich
Henderson, pronounced HEN-dur-sin, is a Scottish patronymic name meaning “son of Henry,” with Henry coming from the Germanic name Heimirich and composed of the elements heim, meaning “home,” and rih, meaning “ruler.”
ALSO ON MOD MOMS CLUB: 125+ Mom-Inspired Baby Names for Mama's Little Girl
If patronymic names (or names with son at the end) aren’t your cup of tea, then there’s plenty more baby names to choose from. Don’t worry — our baby name generator can help you narrow down your options!
