
The short answer
Kingston is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning ‘king's town’ in Old English. This name rose significantly on the popularity charts after musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale used it for their son born 2006." It ranked #204 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning ‘king's town’ in Old English. This name rose significantly on the popularity charts after musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale used it for their son born 2006. The entry lists its usage as English (Modern).
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Kingston ranked #204 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #204 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Kingston in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kingston mean?
Kingston means "king's town", according to Behind the Name.
Is Kingston a popular name?
Kingston ranked #204 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Kingston a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Kingston appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Kingston — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.