Given name & surname
Anderson
“the son of Andrew”
Anderson is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “the son of Andrew.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “the son of Andrew.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In Norwegian Bokmål usage, Anderson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Ander. In English usage, Anderson developed from ANDERSEN.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Anderson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 35,646
- 33,991 boys · 1,655 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 1,294 babies
- 2025
- 1,079
- #363 for boys · #1,243 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 91% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 898 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 363 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 14.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,249 in 2012. It also appeared in 181 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (69). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 26,993 as a first name in 2020; 756,560 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Anderson’s family of names
In English usage, Anderson has a diminutive in Anse. In Norwegian Bokmål usage, Anderson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Ander. Anderson has a related form in Anders.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Anderson has relatives in 16 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 14
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Anderson
- DecoPortuguese footballer (born 1977)
- HernanesBrazilian association football playerborn 1985
- AndersonBrazilian association football player (born 1988)
- Anderson CooperAmerican journalist (born 1967)
- Sonny AndersonBrazilian footballerborn 1970
- Anderson SilvaBrazilian mixed martial artistborn 1975
- TaliscaBrazilian footballer (born 1994)
- Anderson VarejãoBrazilian basketball player (born 1982)
- Ânderson PolgaBrazilian footballerborn 1979
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Anderson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kameron
“having a crooked nose”
95% boys · 5% girls
Easton
“a wholesome woman” · “from the eastern town”
99% boys · 1% girls
Ashton
“from the ash-tree town”
95% boys · 5% girls
Landon
“from the long hill”
99% boys · 1% girls
Harrison
“son of Harry” · “the son of Harry”
>99% boys
Paxton
“from the peaceful town”
95% boys · 5% girls
Braxton
“from Brock's town”
99% boys · 1% girls
Jameson
“the son of James”
99% boys · 1% girls