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Home › Baby Names Directory › Hudson

Hudson

♀ Girl

Pronounced HUD-sun /ˈhʌd.sən/High

Meaning: son of Hudd/Hugh, heart's sonMedium

In 30 seconds: Hudson is an English surname meaning son of Hugh, now used as a given name for girls and boys. Its association with the Hudson River gives it an adventurous, geographic appeal.
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Origin HighEnglish
Meaningson of Hudd/Hugh, heart's son
U.S. rank (2024)#2248 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births83 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,799

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201619952024

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

Hudson is an English patronymic surname meaning son of Hudd or Hugh, from the Germanic name Hugo meaning mind or spirit. Henry Hudson, the 17th-century explorer, gave his name to the Hudson River, Hudson Bay, and Hudson Strait in North America.

Hudson emerged as a given name in the 1990s as surname-as-first-name style grew popular. It has been used for boys predominantly but increasingly appears for girls as gender-neutral geographic names gain traction in 21st-century naming.

Did you know? The Hudson River was named after English explorer Henry Hudson (d. c. 1611), who sailed into its waters in 1609 while searching for a Northwest Passage to Asia on behalf of the Dutch East India Company.
Overall data confidence 82%
Hanks & Hodges, Dictionary of First Names — reference for HudsonBehind the Name: Hudson — name etymology reference

Variations

HudsenHudston

Nicknames

HudSonny

Famous Bearers

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If you like Hudson…

Harlow— similarly bold surname-name used for girls
Quinn— two-syllable gender-neutral surname name
Reagan— Irish surname name used for girls
Halston— shares Hudson's English roots
Karson— the same gender-neutral feel

Explore names like Hudson

By themeenglishsurname-nametwo-syllablegender-neutralgeographic

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Frequently Asked

What does Hudson mean?

Hudson means son of Hugh or son of Hudd, from the Old English/Germanic Hugo meaning mind or spirit.

How do you pronounce Hudson?

Hudson is pronounced HUD-sun (/ˈhʌd.sən/), with two syllables.

Is Hudson a girl's name?

Hudson is traditionally a surname and boy's name that is increasingly used for girls as gender-neutral naming grows.

How popular is the name Hudson?

Hudson has been a popular boy's name since the 1990s and is growing in use for girls in the 21st century.

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