Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Payton

Payton

♂ Boy

Pronounced PAY-tun /ˈpeɪ.tən/Medium

Meaning: Pæga's townMedium

In 30 seconds: Payton is an Old English name meaning 'Pæga's town', marking a settlement once held by a man named Pæga.
💕 Browse more names
Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningPæga's town
U.S. rank (2025)#1569 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births109 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2000
Total births (all-time)≈ 24,735

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200018802025

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

Payton started as an English place name and surname, combining the personal name Pæga with 'tun', the Old English word for a town or settlement. Names like this began as labels for where a family lived before becoming surnames and, later, first names. Payton carries that landed, settled history quietly within it.

The two-beat sound has helped Payton spread as a friendly, contemporary given name for boys. Its roots lie in the old English habit of turning places into family names.

Did you know? Payton is a spelling variant of Peyton, so it keeps the same core meaning of ' Pæga 's town' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Payton — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

—

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Payton…

Peyton— The most common alternative spelling of the same place-name.
Paxton— Another Old English '-ton' settlement name with a similar feel.
Dayton— A comparable English place-name ending in '-ton' used as a first name.
Pearson— shares the -on ending
Maison— another modern pick

Explore names like Payton

By thememodernenglish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Payton mean?

Payton is usually explained as meaning ' Pæga 's town' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Payton?

It's commonly said PAY-tun /ˈpeɪ.tən/.

Is Payton a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Payton is used as a boy name.

How popular is Payton?

In 2024, Payton ranked #1516 in the U.S. for boys, with 117 births recorded.

💬 Ask Nia