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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kingston

Kingston

♂ Boy

Pronounced KING-ston /ˈkɪŋ.stən/High

Meaning: King's town; royal settlement — from Old English cyning (king) and tūn (settlement)High

In 30 seconds: A bold English place name meaning 'king's town,' Kingston packs regal authority into two syllables. Celebrity parents (Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale named their son Kingston in 2006) catapulted it onto U.S. baby charts.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningKing's town; royal settlement — from Old English cyning (king) and tūn (settlement)
U.S. rank (2025)#204 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births1,725 boys (0.10% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)≈ 46,353

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202119192025

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

Kingston is an English place name and surname composed of Old English cyning (king) and tūn (town, settlement), meaning 'the king's settlement.' There are numerous towns called Kingston across England, most notably Kingston upon Thames in Surrey, a royal borough with ancient coronation associations.

As a given name, Kingston gained rapid traction after Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale named their son Kingston James McGregor Rossdale in 2006. It entered the U.S. top 250 boys' names shortly after and has climbed steadily, now ranking in the top 200. It fits the trend for powerful, surname-style names with built-in meaning.

Did you know? Kingston upon Thames, near London, is historically significant as the place where at least seven Anglo-Saxon kings were crowned — the 'Coronation Stone' is still displayed there today.

Variations

KingsleyKing

Nicknames

KingKin

Famous Bearers

  • ★Kingston Rossdale (b. 2006)
    Son of musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale; his naming widely influenced the name's rise.

If you like Kingston…

Hunter— similarly strong, one-concept name with a powerful feel
Kyron— a fellow English choice
Klayton— echoes that soft -on sound
Kenton— another English name
Kaeson— shares the -on ending

Explore names like Kingston

By meaningRoyal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kingston mean?

Kingston means 'king's town' or 'royal settlement' from the Old English words for 'king' and 'town.'

How do you pronounce Kingston?

Kingston is pronounced KING-ston /ˈkɪŋ.stən/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Kingston a boy or girl name?

Kingston is used predominantly as a boy's name.

How popular is Kingston?

Kingston has been climbing U.S. charts since 2006 and now ranks in the top 100 boys' names.

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