Mason is a masculine given name of English origin. It is derived from the occupational surname Mason, which was originally given to a person who worked with stone or brick as their profession. The name Mason means "stoneworker" or "bricklayer."
The use of Mason as a given name is a relatively recent phenomenon. While it has been used as a surname for centuries, it did not become popular as a first name until the latter half of the 20th century. Today, Mason is a popular choice among parents looking for a strong and masculine-sounding name for their sons.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Mason. One of the most famous was James Mason (1909-1984), an English actor who appeared in numerous films throughout his career. Another notable figure is Charles Mason (1728-1786), a British astronomer and surveyor who played a significant role in determining the official boundaries between several states in the United States.
In popular culture, the name Mason has been used in various forms of media. For example, it was the name of a main character in the television series "Boy Meets World" (1993-2000), and it is also the name of one of the protagonists in the film "The Butterfly Effect" (2004).
Based on the provided statistics, the name Mason experienced a significant increase in popularity over time. Initially, there were fewer than 30 births per year with some years even dropping below 10. However, starting around 1985, there was a marked rise in the number of babies named Mason, reaching over 600 births by 1990 and peaking at nearly 20,000 births in 2011. Since then, the popularity has fluctuated but remained high, with over 7,000 births recorded annually until 2023. Overall, there have been a total of 329,640 babies named Mason from 1880 to 2023.