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Whitson

♂ Boy

Pronounced WIT-sun /ˈwɪt.sən/High

Meaning: From the English surname Whitson, 'son of Whit' — Whit being a short form of names built on Old English hwit, 'white, fair'. The word also stands behind Whitsun, the old English name for Pentecost, 'White Sunday'.Medium

In 30 seconds: An English surname name: Whitson means 'son of Whit,' from a root meaning 'white, fair' (said 'WIT-sun').

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningFrom the English surname Whitson, 'son of Whit' — Whit being a short form of names built on Old English hwit, 'white, fair'. The word also stands behind Whitsun, the old English name for Pentecost, 'White Sunday'.

U.S. rank (2018)#12064 ↗ Rising

2018 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2016

Total births (all-time)≈ 18

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

Whitson is an English patronymic surname meaning 'son of Whit,' where Whit is a pet form of names built on hwit, 'white, fair'. The element runs deep in English: Whitson, Whitfield, Whitby, and Whitsun for Pentecost. As a first name it is new and rare, in the modern taste for surname picks (said 'WIT-sun').

It appears only extremely rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, English, and crisp.

Did you know? Whitson is 'son of Whit,' from the Old English hwit, 'white, fair' — the same word behind Whitsun, the old English name for Pentecost, 'White Sunday' (said 'WIT-sun').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Whitson — English surname 'son of Whit'; Old English hwit 'white'

Variations

WhitsunWhittonWhitten

Nicknames

WhitSonny

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Whitson mean?

Whitson is an English surname meaning 'son of Whit,' from Old English hwit, 'white, fair'.

How do you pronounce Whitson?

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

Is Whitson a boy or girl name?

Whitson is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Whitson?

Whitson is an extremely rare name for boys in the U.S.