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Anderson

♂ Boy

Pronounced AN-der-sun /ˈæn.dər.sən/High

Meaning: Patronymic surname meaning 'son of Andrew', from the Greek Andreas (manly, masculine) — ultimately conveying 'son of the manly one'.High

In 30 seconds: Anderson is a distinguished Scandinavian patronymic meaning 'son of Andrew'. It carries the bold confidence of a presidential surname and the warm familiarity of an everyday American name.
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Origin HighOld Norse, Greek
MeaningPatronymic surname meaning 'son of Andrew', from the Greek Andreas (manly, masculine) — ultimately conveying 'son of the manly one'.
U.S. rank (2025)#363 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births898 boys (0.05% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2012
Total births (all-time)≈ 33,988

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201218802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Anderson is a patronymic surname meaning 'son of Anders' (the Scandinavian form of Andrew). Andrew derives from the Greek Andreas, from aner (man, male), meaning manly or masculine. The surname Anderson was extremely common in Scotland and Scandinavia, where patronymics ending in -son were the standard naming convention.

Anderson has been used as a given name in the United States since the nineteenth century, following the long American tradition of presidential and distinguished surname names. It has been growing in the twenty-first century as parents seek three-syllable surname names with gravitas. Anderson ranks in the US top 200 boys' names and has a polished, presidential quality.

Did you know? Anderson Cooper, the CNN anchor and Vanderbilt heir, bears one of the most recognizable Anderson surnames in American media — and his name has made Anderson simultaneously synonymous with journalistic integrity and old-money New York aristocracy.
Overall data confidence 93%
Behind the Name: Anderson — Patronymic etymology and Scandinavian naming historySocial Security Administration Name Data — US popularity trends for Anderson

Variations

AndreasAndrew

Nicknames

AndyAnderSonny

Famous Bearers

  • ★Anderson Cooper (1967–)
    American journalist and CNN anchor, also heir to the Vanderbilt family fortune.

If you like Anderson…

Harrison— three-syllable patronymic surname name ending in -son with the same presidential American quality
Henderson— three-syllable -son surname name with the same Scandinavian-American heritage
Emerson— three-syllable surname name popular as a modern given name with the same distinguished feel

Frequently Asked

What does the name Anderson mean?

Anderson means 'son of Andrew', from Greek Andreas (manly) — a Scandinavian patronymic surname used as a given name.

How do you pronounce Anderson?

Anderson is pronounced AN-der-sun (/ˈæn.dər.sən/), three syllables with stress on the first.

Is Anderson a boy or girl name?

Anderson is predominantly a boy's name.

How popular is Anderson?

Anderson ranks in the US top 200 boys' names and has been rising as a presidential-style surname first name.