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The short answer
Cameron is a name of Scottish origin, pronounced KAM-rən. Behind the Name derives it from the Scottish surname Cameron, meaning "crooked nose", from Gaelic cam "crooked" and sròn "nose". As a given name it is mainly used for boys; the entry notes a small bump for girls in the second half of the 1990s, which it attributes to the fame of actress Cameron Diaz, and observes that in the United States the forms Camryn and Kamryn are now more popular than Cameron for girls. In the United States in 2025 it ranked #76 for boys and #487 for girls.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Cameron as "from the Scottish surname Cameron meaning 'crooked nose', derived from Gaelic cam 'crooked' and sròn 'nose'". The entry lists Camron, Camryn, Kameron and Kamryn as variants and Cam and Kam as diminutives. It describes the name as mainly masculine in given-name use, with a late-1990s bump for girls that it links to actress Cameron Diaz (born 1972).
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Gaelic | cam | crooked |
| Gaelic | sròn | nose |
| Scottish | Cameron (surname) | crooked nose |
Popularity
Cameron ranked #76 for boys and #487 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration), which is why this profile treats it as unisex while the boys' usage clearly dominates. Behind the Name says the name is mainly used for boys, that it got a small bump for girls in the second half of the 1990s, and that in the United States Camryn and Kamryn are now more popular than Cameron for girls.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (boys) | 2025 | #76 | ssa-2025 |
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #487 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #76 (Social Security Administration)
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: Cam, Kam
Variants: Camron, Camryn, Kameron, Kamryn
Related names: None documented.
What the name feels like
Cameron is a Scottish clan surname that has settled comfortably into first-name use: two syllables in ordinary speech, a strong opening consonant and the friendly short form Cam. Its "crooked nose" meaning is the kind of blunt clan epithet that most parents find charming rather than off-putting. On a boy it reads as sturdy and established; on a girl it reads as sporty and modern.
Style tags: Scottish, surname name, unisex, clan name
Editorial interpretation: The style impressions above are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. The etymology, variants, diminutives and the gender-usage notes are drawn from Behind the Name; the unisex label follows the SSA 2025 lists.
If you like this name
Editorial suggestions: other Scottish surname names, and names with Cameron's shape and short form.
Similar by origin
Similar by sound
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cameron mean?
Cameron means "crooked nose". It comes from the Scottish surname Cameron, from Gaelic cam "crooked" and sròn "nose".
Is Cameron a boy's or girl's name?
Both, though mainly a boys' name. In the United States in 2025 it ranked #76 for boys and #487 for girls; Behind the Name notes that Camryn and Kamryn are now more popular than Cameron for girls in the US.
What are nicknames for Cameron?
Behind the Name lists Cam and Kam as diminutives, and Camron, Camryn, Kameron and Kamryn as spelling variants.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Cameron — supports etymology, pronunciation, variants, nicknames, gender-usage notes.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity, gender usage.
