Draxton
An English name of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly derived from elements meaning "dragon" and "town".
Name Census estimates that about 143 living Americans carry the first name Draxton. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Draxton today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Draxton births was 2018 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Draxton. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
143
~ 1 in 2,396,883 Americans
Peak year
2018
25 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,918
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Draxton: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Draxton from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 77 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Draxton by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Draxton during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Draxton
The name Draxton is a unique and relatively uncommon name with an intriguing history. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Germanic tribes of central Europe, specifically the region that is now modern-day Germany. The name is believed to have derived from the Germanic root word "draks," meaning "dragon" or "serpent," combined with the suffix "-ton," which was a common ending used in many Germanic names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Draxton can be found in the Codex Sangallensis, an 8th-century manuscript containing a list of Germanic personal names. In this text, the name appears as "Drahton," which is believed to be an earlier spelling variation of Draxton.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Draxton was relatively uncommon but not unheard of. It was primarily used by families of Germanic descent, particularly those residing in the regions that are now parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. One notable individual who bore this name was Draxton von Hohenzollern, a minor nobleman from the powerful Hohenzollern dynasty who lived in the 13th century.
As the name Draxton spread beyond its Germanic roots, it underwent various spelling and pronunciation changes. In England, for example, the name was sometimes rendered as "Draxon" or "Draxton," while in France, it took on the form "Draxtin" or "Draxtine."
One of the earliest documented examples of the name in England can be found in the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this record, a landowner named Draxton is mentioned as holding property in the county of Worcestershire.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Draxton. These include:
1. Draxton the Brave (c. 1150 - 1215), a German knight who fought in the Third Crusade and was known for his bravery in battle.
2. Draxton Fitzwilliam (1325 - 1389), an English nobleman and military commander who served under Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.
3. Draxton von Essen (1480 - 1547), a German Renaissance scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.
4. Draxton Beaufort (1610 - 1678), an English playwright and poet who was a prominent figure in the literary circles of 17th-century London.
5. Draxton Montague (1785 - 1862), a French explorer and naturalist who documented the flora and fauna of the Amazon rainforest.
While the name Draxton has maintained a certain level of rarity throughout its history, it has persisted as a unique and intriguing choice for parents seeking a name with a rich cultural heritage and a connection to the ancient Germanic world.
People
Draxton + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Draxton as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Draxton: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Draxton?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 143 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Draxton going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,396,883 US residents.
Is Draxton a common name?
We classify Draxton as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 144 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Draxton most popular?
The single biggest year for Draxton was 2018, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Draxton is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Draxton in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Draxton a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Draxton in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Draxton still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Draxton in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Draxton can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Draxton?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.