The first name Boston
A boy’s name from English.
Pronounced /ˈbɔstən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
The US city is named after the English town (from which several prominent colonists had come), which itself is sometimes said to be named as a contraction of Botolph's town or Botolph's stone (the name Botolph itself coming from Old English Botwulf, from boda + wulf). However, this is uncertain.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 6 boys were named Boston, making it the 3,256th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 17 births (#1,448).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Boston with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Boston at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 451 boys born in the United States were named Boston, the 620th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2014, when 497 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Boston in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Boston in Danish, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Boston
- Bosox
Famous people named Boston
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Boston CusterBrother of George Armstrong Custer, 1848–1876
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Boston mean?
- The US city is named after the English town (from which several prominent colonists had come), which itself is sometimes said to be named as a contraction of Botolph's town or Botolph's stone (the name Botolph itself coming from Old English Botwulf, from boda + wulf). However,…
- What is the origin of the name Boston?
- The US city is named after the English town (from which several prominent colonists had come), which itself is sometimes said to be named as a contraction of Botolph's town or Botolph's stone (the name Botolph itself coming from Old English Botwulf, from boda + wulf). However, this is uncertain.
- How popular is the name Boston?
- In 2025, 6 boys born in England and Wales were named Boston, ranking 3,256th. Its peak was 2021, with 17 births.
- What are nicknames for Boston?
- Common nicknames for Boston include Bosox.
- Is Boston a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 11,944 US babies named Boston since 1880, 9% were girls and 91% boys.
- When was Boston most popular?
- 2014 in the United States, when 497 babies were named Boston, its highest rank at 555th.
- How do you pronounce Boston?
- Boston is /ˈbɔstən/, 2 syllables.
- Is Boston also a surname?
- Yes. Boston is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.