Winston

Q: What does Winston mean?

Winston is a boys' name of English origin, from an English surname and place name. Used in the Churchill family since the 17th century; Sir Winston Churchill led Britain through the Second World War.

Gender: Boy
Say it: WIN-ston
Origin: English
UK rank, 2025: #1,008 for boys
US rank, 2025: #381 for boys

Winston is a boys' name of English origin. In 2025 it ranked 1,008th for boys in the UK (33 babies) and 381st for boys in the US (830 babies).

What does Winston mean?

English: from an English surname and place name

Used in the Churchill family since the 17th century; Sir Winston Churchill led Britain through the Second World War.

Is Winston a girl's or a boy's name?

Winston is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 33 boys in the UK and 830 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.

How popular is Winston in the UK?

Rank in 2025: 1,008th among boys
Babies in 2025: 33 about 1 in 9,100 boys
Five-year trend: Falling down 26% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 33 boys in the UK were named Winston, making it the 1,008th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 731st. Its busiest year was 2019, with 59 boys.

2025 had fewer boys named Winston than any year since 2012.

Half of all the boys named Winston in the UK since 1996 were born between 2012 and 2020, the years shaded on the chart below.

Among boys in 2025, it was 934th in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 59 in 20192025

Winston in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	33	#1,008
2024	46	#803
2023	43	#827
2022	34	#971
2021	37	#909
2020	51	#731
2019	59	#662
2018	54	#705
2017	52	#739
2016	51	#738
2015	56	#678
2014	47	#750
2013	34	#938
2012	29	#1,051
2011	23	#1,203
2010	30	#1,019
2009	23	#1,180
2008	22	#1,210
2007	13	#1,667
2006	8	#2,193
2005	5	#2,885
2004	8	#1,983
2003	4	#2,990
2002	12	#1,312
2001	7	#1,833
2000	13	#1,165
1999	4	#2,513
1998	4	#2,531
1997	7	#1,678
1996	8	#1,506

How popular is Winston in the US?

Rank in 2025: 381st among boys
Babies in 2025: 830 about 1 in 2,100 boys
Five-year trend: Steady up 2% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 830 boys in the US were named Winston, making it the 381st most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 408th. Its busiest year was 2019, with 860 boys.

It has been given to more boys each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had more boys named Winston than any year since 2019.

Half of all the boys named Winston in the US since 1880 were born between 1944 and 2015, the years shaded on the chart below.

1880Busiest: 860 in 20192025

Winston in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	830	#381
2024	799	#404
2023	798	#397
2022	761	#420
2021	762	#408
2020	726	#408
2019	860	#371
2018	790	#404
2017	782	#405
2016	649	#471
2015	551	#523
2014	518	#537
2013	394	#623
2012	399	#614
2011	305	#744
2010	238	#878
2009	270	#816
2008	270	#812
2007	239	#868
2006	225	#877
2005	244	#794
2004	215	#826
2003	196	#872
2002	218	#789
2001	213	#793
2000	249	#702
1999	264	#656
1998	210	#758
1997	206	#736
1996	247	#666
1995	243	#674
1994	244	#662
1993	255	#645
1992	279	#616
1991	290	#596
1990	282	#592
1989	253	#620
1988	226	#633
1987	223	#607
1986	192	#645
1985	223	#588
1984	185	#627
1983	152	#694
1982	178	#650
1981	181	#633
1980	177	#651
1979	153	#691
1978	172	#636
1977	181	#623
1976	149	#674
1975	161	#641
1974	144	#677
1973	159	#623
1972	162	#618
1971	207	#564
1970	180	#606
1969	190	#569
1968	160	#600
1967	188	#545
1966	208	#529
1965	233	#500
1964	198	#560
1963	207	#552
1962	177	#586
1961	206	#549
1960	189	#566
1959	196	#553
1958	194	#553
1957	256	#487
1956	270	#458
1955	284	#435
1954	270	#441
1953	262	#440
1952	262	#431
1951	250	#428
1950	290	#398
1949	267	#414
1948	288	#401
1947	275	#412
1946	271	#395
1945	271	#361
1944	370	#313
1943	547	#258
1942	523	#253
1941	542	#234
1940	329	#310
1939	174	#430
1938	174	#436
1937	194	#401
1936	174	#422
1935	175	#417
1934	198	#391
1933	183	#399
1932	208	#388
1931	177	#425
1930	200	#416
1929	201	#415
1928	206	#418
1927	237	#384
1926	230	#387
1925	224	#399
1924	262	#373
1923	213	#411
1922	257	#376
1921	289	#351
1920	211	#405
1919	208	#404
1918	222	#400
1917	207	#390
1916	194	#398
1915	197	#380
1914	158	#378
1913	92	#448
1912	95	#393
1911	35	#497
1910	20	#654
1909	35	#419
1908	36	#389
1907	21	#511
1906	20	#503
1905	20	#507
1904	14	#612
1903	13	#619
1902	11	#686
1901	12	#596
1900	13	#698
1899	9	#714
1898	17	#505
1897	11	#652
1896	12	#641
1895	7	#871
1894	7	#856
1893	8	#768
1892	8	#791
1891	5	#962
1890	6	#884
1889	7	#789
1888	5	#1,030
1887	6	#819
1886	8	#694
1885	0	–
1884	5	#971
1883	6	#798
1882	0	–
1881	0	–
1880	5	#909

Nicknames for Winston

Win 9 boys in the US in 2025

Names like Winston

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Hudson, Grayson, Mason, Sonny, Frankie, Harrison, Roman, Jaxon, Oakley, Austin, Carter, Hunter

Other spellings of Winston

Wynston

More English names

Lily, Evelyn, Ivy, Harper, Grace, Violet, Willow, Daisy, Poppy, Riley, Cooper, Ruby, Hallie, Hazel, River, Ellie

Every English name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Winston: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/winston, updated 20 October 2026.