
The short answer
Tyson is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname, originally a nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Old French tison meaning ‘firebrand’. A famous bearer of the surname is boxer Mike Tyson (1966-)." It ranked #531 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname, originally a nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Old French tison meaning ‘firebrand’. A famous bearer of the surname is boxer Mike Tyson (1966-). The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Tyson ranked #531 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 | #531 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Tyson in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tyson mean?
Tyson means "firebrand", according to Behind the Name.
Is Tyson a popular name?
Tyson ranked #531 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Tyson a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Tyson appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Tyson — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.