
The short answer
Winston is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname, which could derive either from the Old English given name Wynnstan or from place names meaning ‘town belonging to Wine’. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II." It ranked #382 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname, which could derive either from the Old English given name Wynnstan or from place names meaning ‘town belonging to Wine’. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Winston ranked #382 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 | #382 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Winston in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Winston mean?
Winston means "town belonging to Wine", according to Behind the Name.
Is Winston a popular name?
Winston ranked #382 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Winston a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Winston appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Winston — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.