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Simpson
How to Pronounce Simpson
Pronounced SIMP-suhn /ˈsɪmpsən/High
Meaning: Simpson is a Scottish and English surname meaning 'son of Sim', Sim being a medieval short form of Simon, from the Hebrew Shimon, 'he has heard'. The inserted p is a natural spelling ease between m and s. Used as a given name in the surname-as-forename fashion, it carries the biblical Simon meaning at its root.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
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
Simpson is a surname meaning 'son of Sim', a medieval short form of Simon, from the Hebrew for 'he has heard'. Handed down as a given name in the surname-as-forename style, it saw quiet American use around the early twentieth century.
It was never common as a first name, a couple dozen boys a year at most around the early nineteen-twenties, and it faded through the century. A boy given it then would be a great-grandfather now, and it reads as an old surname-name rather than a modern choice.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Simpson mean?
It's a Scottish and English surname meaning 'son of Sim', a short form of Simon.
How do you pronounce Simpson?
It's said SIMP-suhn /ˈsɪmpsən/, two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Simpson a boy or girl name?
Simpson is used as a boy's name.
Is Simpson a popular name?
No, it was always rare as a first name, an old surname-name seen only slightly in the early twentieth century.