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Home › Baby Names Directory › Dayton

Dayton

♀ Girl

Pronounced DAY-tun /ˈdeɪ.tən/High

Meaning: An English surname/place — variously 'the bright town' and 'David's town/settlement' (Dae/David + tun); more often a boys' name; here for a girl; we note the surnameLow

In 30 seconds: The bright/David's town: Dayton is an English surname. Crisp, modern, and warm. More often a boys' name — here a girl.
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningAn English surname/place — variously 'the bright town' and 'David's town/settlement' (Dae/David + tun); more often a boys' name; here for a girl; we note the surname
U.S. rank (2025)#6605 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births17 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2008
Total births (all-time)≈ 636

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200819912025

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Dayton comes from an English surname/place — variously 'the bright town' and 'David's town/settlement' (we note the surname). More often a boys' name, it is recorded here for a girl — which we flag honestly (slug distinguished; said 'DAY-tun').

In the U.S. Dayton is chiefly a boys' name (also a city in Ohio); this girls' use is unusual. Rare for a girl, the-bright-town at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Dayton is an English surname/place, variously 'the bright town' and 'David's town' — more often a boys' name; it appears here for a girl, which we note (said 'DAY-tun').
Overall data confidence 30%
References — Dayton — English surname/place; chiefly male

Variations

DaytonaDeightonDayten

Nicknames

Day

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Dayton…

Peyton— a sound-neighbor -ton unisex name
Paisley— a fellow place-name girls' name
Brayton— a companion -ton name
Dawson— a similarly popular pick
Hudson— shares Dayton's English roots

Explore names like Dayton

By themeuncertainenglishsurname-nameplace-namecross-sex

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dayton mean?

Dayton is an English surname/place — variously 'the bright town' and 'David's town'. It is more often a boys' name; here it is recorded for a girl. We note the surname.

How do you pronounce Dayton?

It's said DAY-tun /ˈdeɪ.tən/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Dayton a boy or girl name?

Dayton is chiefly a boys' name; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Dayton?

Dayton is uncommon for boys and very rare for girls.

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