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Home › Baby Names Directory › Paxton

Paxton

♀ Girl

Pronounced PAK-stun /ˈpæk.stən/High

Meaning: From an Old English surname and place name, from Pæcc's tun (settlement, town); sometimes also interpreted as combining Old English pax (peace) with tun, giving 'peace settlement'Medium

In 30 seconds: Paxton is an Old English surname-turned-given name meaning Pæcc's settlement or peace town. Originally a masculine surname, it has been adopted as a unisex given name in the U.S. and is growing in use for girls.
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Origin HighOld English
MeaningFrom an Old English surname and place name, from Pæcc's tun (settlement, town); sometimes also interpreted as combining Old English pax (peace) with tun, giving 'peace settlement'
U.S. rank (2025)#3239 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births49 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1994
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,124

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199419912025

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

Paxton originates as a habitational surname from English place names in Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire), England — Great Paxton and Little Paxton — recorded in Domesday Book as Pachstone. The place name likely derives from a personal name Pæcc combined with Old English tun (settlement, enclosure, farm). The surname has been in use since medieval times in England and Scotland.

As a given name, Paxton was used primarily for boys in the 20th century in the United States, often as a surname transferred to first-name use. In the 21st century it has crossed gender lines and is increasingly chosen for girls, following the broader American trend of surname-style names. It debuted on U.S. charts for girls in the 2010s and continues to rise.

Did you know? The peaceful interpretation of Paxton — as if it contains the Latin word pax (peace) — is a popular folk etymology, but the most likely source is a personal name Pæcc combined with Old English tun meaning settlement or farm.
Overall data confidence 80%
Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames, Reaney & Wilson — Paxton as habitational surname from PachstoneU.S. Social Security Administration — Paxton on girls name charts, 2010s onward

Variations

PaxtenPaxon

Nicknames

PaxPaxie

Famous Bearers

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If you like Paxton…

Pax
Braxton— same -axton/-ton surname naming category with similar sound
Peyton— similar surname-style unisex name with the same -ton ending used for girls
Lennox— Scottish surname-name of comparable sound and unisex modern use
Weston

Explore names like Paxton

By thememodernamericanunisexsurname-nametwo-syllableplace-nameold-english
By meaningPeace

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Paxton mean?

Paxton means Pæcc's settlement or peace town, from an Old English place name combining a personal name with tun (settlement).

How do you pronounce Paxton?

It is pronounced PAK-stun, with two syllables and stress on the first.

Is Paxton a boy or girl name?

Paxton is a unisex name, historically used for boys as a surname but increasingly chosen for girls in the United States.

How popular is Paxton?

Paxton has been steadily rising for girls in the U.S. since the 2010s, following the trend of surname-style given names.

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