Boston is a unisex given name of English origin. It is derived from the name of an ancient city in Massachusetts, which was founded by Puritan settlers in 1630 and named after Boston, Lincolnshire, England. The name Boston means "bend, curve" or "bot's town." It has gained popularity as a given name in recent years due to its unique sound and association with the historic city.
The name Boston has been given to babies in the United States for over a century, with the first recorded births occurring in the late 19th century. In the years 1880 to 1926, there were fluctuations in the popularity of the name, with some years seeing as few as five births and others reaching as high as 21.
The name's popularity began to rise significantly in the 1980s. In 1987, there were 16 births, followed by a peak of 23 births in 1989. This upward trend continued into the 1990s, with the number of births reaching 46 in 2000.
Since then, the name Boston has consistently been among the more popular boys' names in the United States. In the years 2002 to 2022, there were over 3,500 babies named Boston, with a peak of 579 births in 2006.
In recent years, the popularity of the name has stabilized somewhat, with around 400-500 births per year between 2016 and 2022. Overall, from 1880 to 2022, there have been a total of 9,990 babies named Boston in the United States.