The first name Knox
A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “round hill”.
Pronounced /nɑks/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Scottish Gaelic origin
Knox means “round hill” in Scottish Gaelic.
Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic cnoc (“round hill”).
More names that mean mountain.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 39 boys were named Knox, making it the 822nd most popular boys’ name.
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Knox with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Knox at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,836 boys born in the United States were named Knox, the 196th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 1,902 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.
Famous people named Knox
3 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Knox ChandlerAmerican musician, born 1954
- John Knox LaughtonBritish naval historian (1830-1915)
- Alexander Knox HelmBritish diplomat (1893–1964)
More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Knox mean?
- Knox means “round hill” in Scottish Gaelic.
- What is the origin of the name Knox?
- Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic cnoc (“round hill”).
- How popular is the name Knox?
- In 2025, 39 boys born in England and Wales were named Knox, ranking 822nd.
- Is Knox a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 24,382 US babies named Knox since 1880 were boys.
- When was Knox most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 1,902 babies were named Knox, its highest rank at 199th.
- How do you pronounce Knox?
- Knox is /nɑks/, one syllable.
- Is Knox also a surname?
- Yes. Knox is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.