Dawson started as an English surname meaning 'son of David', built from a pet form of David plus the '-son' ending. Like many surnames, it has crossed over into use as a given name, including for girls. Its meaning still points back to David, the older name at its core.

The name has a strong, two-syllable surname sound that fits the trend of last names used up front. Its link to David gives it a familiar, time-tested root.

Did you know? Dawson likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Dawson — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

—

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Dawson…

David— The name at the heart of Dawson's 'son of David' meaning.

Davis— Another surname meaning 'son of David', closely parallel to Dawson.

Emerson— A '-son' surname now used as a given name for girls.

Addison— A '-son' surname popular as a girl's name.

Carson— A surname-style '-son' name with similar crossover use.

Explore names like Dawson

By themeenglish surname-name

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Dawson mean?

Dawson is usually explained as meaning 'son of David ' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Dawson?

It's commonly said DAW-suhn /ˈdɔː.sən/.

Is Dawson a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Dawson is used as a girl name.

How popular is Dawson?

In 2024, Dawson ranked #2109 in the U.S. for girls, with 90 births recorded.