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Home › Baby Names Directory › Payson

Payson

♀ Girl

Pronounced PAY-sun /ˈpeɪ.sən/High

Meaning: From the English surname Payson — 'son of Pace', Pace from Latin pax, 'peace' — crossing to daughtersMedium

In 30 seconds: Peace, by patronymic: Payson — 'son of Pace (peace)' — flips to daughters with gymnast-heroine energy (TV's Make It or Break It). Crisp, calm-rooted, and modern.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningFrom the English surname Payson — 'son of Pace', Pace from Latin pax, 'peace' — crossing to daughters
U.S. rank (2025)#3335 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births47 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2011
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,169

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201119952025

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

Payson comes from the English surname 'son of Pace' — Pace from Latin pax, 'peace'. An American town-name (Utah, Arizona) and TV-heroine pick, it crosses to girls in the tailored-surname wave.

It registers thinly for girls in records. Rare, peace at the root, and sporty-crisp.

Did you know? Payson Keeler, the driven gymnast of 'Make It or Break It', put this peace-rooted surname on the girls' charts — and Payson, Utah and Arizona dot the map.
Overall data confidence 72%
Surname dictionaries — Payson — patronymic etymology

Variations

PaysenPaisleyPayton

Nicknames

Pay

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Payson…

Payton— the near-twin unisex favorite
Paisley— a fellow P- girls' surname pick
Emerson— the companion crossover surname
Kinsley— another tailored modern choice

Explore names like Payson

By themeenglishunisexsurname-name
By meaningPeace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Payson mean?

Payson is an English surname, 'son of Pace', Pace deriving from Latin pax, 'peace'.

How do you pronounce Payson?

It's said PAY-sun /ˈpeɪ.sən/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Payson a boy or girl name?

Payson is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Payson?

Payson is a rare name for girls in the U.S.

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