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At a Glance: Name: Hudson – Meaning: patronymic surname, 'son of Hud/Hudde' (a medieval pet form of Hugh), later used as a given name – Origin: English (surname) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: HUD-suhn
Hudson (pronounced HUD-suhn) is an English name that began life as a surname — a patronymic meaning 'son of Hud' or 'Hudde,' a medieval nickname for Hugh — before it was adopted as a first name for boys. That surname-to-given-name path gives it the settled, vintage feel it's known for today. If you're drawn to names with roots in everyday English family naming rather than an invented meaning, Hudson fits that mold.
Meaning & Origin of Hudson
Meaning: Patronymic surname, 'son of hud/hudde' (a medieval pet form of hugh), later used as a given name.
Origin: English (surname).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Hudson
Phonetic: HUD-suhn IPA: /ˈhʌdsən/
Popularity of Hudson
Hudson peaked at #21 on the SSA boy name chart in 2023, with 7,951 babies given the name that year. In 2024 it held nearly steady at #22, with the count actually ticking up slightly to 7,990.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Hudson Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Hudson, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Hudson mean?
Patronymic surname, ‘son of hud/hudde’ (a medieval pet form of hugh), later used as a given name. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Hudson)
How do you pronounce Hudson?
Hudson is pronounced HUD-suhn (IPA: /ˈhʌdsən/).
Is Hudson a popular name right now?
Hudson is near its all-time peak (#21 in 2023), ranked #22 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Hudson? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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