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Home › Baby Names Directory › Johnston

Johnston

♂ Boy

Pronounced JON-stun /ˈdʒɒn.stən/High

Meaning: An English/Scottish surname — 'John's town/settlement' (the name John + tun, 'a settlement'); we note the surnameLow

In 30 seconds: John's town/settlement: Johnston is an English/Scottish surname. Crisp, modern, and warm.
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Origin LowEnglish, Scottish
MeaningAn English/Scottish surname — 'John's town/settlement' (the name John + tun, 'a settlement'); we note the surname
U.S. rank (2025)#10156 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2007
Total births (all-time)≈ 513

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200719142025

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

Johnston is an English/Scottish surname — 'John's town/settlement' (the name John + tun, 'a settlement'; we note the surname). A crisp, modern name (said 'JON-stun').

In the U.S. it appears as a modern surname-name. Rare, John's-town at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Johnston means 'John's town/settlement' (John + tun, 'a settlement') — a crisp surname-name (we note the surname; said 'JON-stun').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Johnston — surname-name

Variations

JohnstoneJohnson

Nicknames

John

Famous Bearers

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If you like Johnston…

Johnson— a kin John- surname name
Preston— a fellow -ston surname name
Weston— a sound-neighbor -ston name
Houston— a companion -ston surname name

Explore names like Johnston

By themeenglishsurname-namescottish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Johnston mean?

Johnston is an English/Scottish surname — 'John's town/settlement'. We note the surname.

How do you pronounce Johnston?

It's said JON-stun /ˈdʒɒn.stən/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Johnston a boy or girl name?

Johnston is a boy's name.

How popular is Johnston?

Johnston is a very rare name in the U.S.

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