Anderson is a name of English origin that has gained popularity worldwide over the years. It is derived from the Old Norse personal name "Aðalbrandr", which consists of two elements: "adal", meaning "noble" or "high", and "brandr", meaning "sword". Therefore, the name Anderson can be translated as "noble sword".
The use of the name Anderson can be traced back to the Viking Age, when Norse settlers brought their naming traditions to Britain. However, it was not until the 12th century that the name began to appear in records in England, mostly among the Norman nobility who had adopted Old Norse names.
Over time, Anderson evolved from being a personal name to a surname, and today, it is one of the most common surnames in many English-speaking countries. Despite its change from a personal name to a surname, the meaning behind Anderson remains the same: "noble sword".
In terms of popularity, Anderson has been consistently ranked among the top 500 names for boys in the United States since the 1970s. It peaked at number 168 in 2004 but has since declined slightly in popularity.
Overall, Anderson is a strong and distinctive name with a rich history and an appealing meaning that continues to be popular among parents today.
The given statistics show the annual number of births with the name Anderson in the United States from 1880 to 2023. The data illustrates the fluctuating popularity of the name over time.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the number of babies named Anderson varied between a low of 26 births in 1901 to a high of 147 births in 1919. The first half of the 20th century saw a more consistent range, with the lowest point at 58 births in 1963 and the highest at 340 births in 2003.
The name Anderson experienced a significant surge in popularity starting in the late 1990s. In 1999, there were 208 babies named Anderson, more than double the previous year's total of 96 births in 1998. This trend continued into the new millennium, with the number of annual Anderson births peaking at 1249 in 2012.
However, since then, the popularity of the name has slightly decreased, with the most recent data showing 1005 births in 2023. Despite this slight decrease, Anderson remains a popular and widely used name in the United States, ranking among the top 20 names for boys in recent years.
Overall, these statistics provide insights into the changing trends of the name Anderson over time in the United States, highlighting its consistent but varied popularity throughout history.