Princeton
Princeton: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpɹɪnstən/
Meaning and origin of Princeton
Root meaning: “town”
- A male given name.
Etymology
From prince + -ton (“town”), originally in honor of crown princes or princes of the British Empire but later chiefly in honor of others with the name Prince or locations named Princeton. Doublet of Princetown. Cf. Princes Town, Princeville, Kingston, Kingstone, Coniston, Kingstown, Queenston, and Queenstown. In particular, the British Columbian town is named for Edward VII, who was known as Albert, Prince of Wales, during the reign of his mother Queen Victoria. The New Jersey borough is named for William III—who became king of England through marriage to Mary II—in honor of his own separate Dutch title of Prince of Orange. The North Carolina town and Nebraska and Ontario communities are name
How popular is Princeton?
Since 1880, 10,256 boys in the U.S. have been named Princeton. Its highest rank for boys was #402 in 2017. In 2025 it ranked #653 for boys, with 422 babies given the name.
Names similar to Princeton
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for Princeton
Names that peaked around the same time as Princeton and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Princeton FAQ
What does the name Princeton mean?
Princeton traces back to a root meaning "town". A male given name. From prince + -ton (“town”), originally in honor of crown princes or princes of the British Empire but later chiefly in honor of others with the name Prince or locations named Princeton. Doublet of Princetown. Cf. Princes Town, Princeville, Kingston, Kingstone, Coniston, Kingstown, Queenston, and Queenstown. In particular, the British Columbian town is named for Edward VII, who was known as Albert, Prince of Wales, during the reign of his mother Queen Victoria. The New Jersey borough is named for William III—who became king of England through marriage to Mary II—in honor of his own separate Dutch title of Prince of Orange. The North Carolina town and Nebraska and Ontario communities are name
How popular is the name Princeton?
Since 1880, 10,256 boys in the U.S. have been named Princeton. Its highest rank for boys was #402 in 2017. In 2025 it ranked #653 for boys, with 422 babies given the name.
Is Princeton a boy or girl name?
Princeton is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 0 girls and 10,256 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.