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    The first name Norton

    A boy’s name from English meaning “north”, “enclosure”, “settlement”.

    Pronounced /ˈnɔɹtən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    English origin

    Norton means “north”, “enclosure”, “settlement” in English.

    From Old English norþ (“north”) + tūn (“enclosure; settlement, town”). The parish in New Brunswick is named after Norton, Massachusetts.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Norton last appeared in the official list in 2016, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1996, with 7 births (#1,591).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    48
    babies named Norton, 1996–2025
    #4,810
    rank in 2016
    1996
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Norton with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Norton at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2020, 6 boys born in the United States were named Norton, the 11,597th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1928, when 74 were.

    04080 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    2,310
    babies named Norton since 1880
    #11,597
    rank in 2020
    1928
    peak year

    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 Norton

    14 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Edward Norton Lorenz
      American mathematician and meteorologist (1917–2008)
    • Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma
      British peer, born 1947
    • Norton Juster
      American children's writer, academic, and architect (1929-2021)
    • Norton Buffalo
      American singer-songwriter, performer, record producer (1951-2009)
    • Norton Simon
      American art collector (1907-1993)
    • Norton Barnhill
      American basketball player, 1953–2025
    • Eben Norton Horsford
      American food scientist and chemist (1818–1893)
    • Norton Zinder
      American microbiologist (1928–2012)
    • Norton A. Schwartz
      American military officer, born 1951
    • Emilie Martin
      American mathematician (1869-1936)
    • Brian Baird
      American psychologist, politician and university administrator (born 1956)
    • Bob Shamansky
      American politician (1927-2011)

    More English boys’ names

    All 216 names of English origin

    Questions

    What does the name Norton mean?
    Norton means “north”, “enclosure”, “settlement” in English.
    What is the origin of the name Norton?
    From Old English norþ (“north”) + tūn (“enclosure; settlement, town”). The parish in New Brunswick is named after Norton, Massachusetts.
    How popular is the name Norton?
    In 2016, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Norton, ranking 4,810th. Its peak was 1996, with 7 births.
    Is Norton a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 2,310 US babies named Norton since 1880 were boys.
    When was Norton most popular?
    1928 in the United States, when 74 babies were named Norton, its highest rank at 747th.
    How do you pronounce Norton?
    Norton is /ˈnɔɹtən/, 2 syllables.
    Is Norton also a surname?
    Yes. Norton is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.