London
London is a boy's name of Celtic origin.
Meaning
From London, the capital of the UK; likely derived from an ancient river or settlement name meaning wild or bold.
Origin and history
London is a place-name derived from the capital city of the United Kingdom, which traces back to the ancient Celtic topnym Londinium. Although historically used for both boys and girls, it gained notable modern popularity as a unisex given name in the United States starting in the late 20th century. Today, it remains a recognized choice for boys with steady, moderate usage.
Popularity in the United States
10,324 babies in the United States have been named London since 1880. It ranks #1178 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #978.
States where it is most popular
- CA (14.6 %)
- TX (11.2 %)
- GA (7.2 %)
- FL (7.2 %)
- NY (5.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 10 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 10 |
| 1910-1920 | 70 |
| 1920-1930 | 84 |
| 1930-1940 | 40 |
| 1940-1950 | 65 |
| 1950-1960 | 70 |
| 1960-1970 | 180 |
| 1970-1980 | 202 |
| 1980-1990 | 395 |
| 1990-2000 | 1,089 |
| 2000-2010 | 2,971 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,923 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,215 |
Famous people named London
- London Fletcher: football player, athlete
Fun facts
- The underlying Celtic root is thought to be Londinion, possibly meaning place at the navigable river or belong to the bold one.
- London joined a popular wave of geographical names like Paris, Brooklyn, and Austin that surged in the US around the turn of the 21st century.