Given name & surname · also Old English
Fenton
“from the town near the marsh”
Fenton is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the town near the marsh.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the town near the marsh.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old English.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Fenton through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,046
- 2,046 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1922
- 40 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #6,923 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −52%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,923 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 52.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,099 as a first name in 2020; 14,999 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.
Fenton’s family of names
Fenton has a related form in Fentan. Fenton has a related form in Fenten. Fenton has a related form in Fentin.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Fenton has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Old English roots to each of them.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Fenton
- F. J. A. HortIrish-born British Anglican theologian (1828–1892)
- Fenton RobinsonAmerican Chicago blues singer and guitarist1935–1997
- Sir Fenton Aylmer, 13th Baronetrecipient of the Victoria Cross (1862–1935)
- Fenton JohnsonAmerican novelist (born 1953)
- Fenton JohnsonAmerican poet (1888–1958)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Fenton, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Elton
“a spontaneous woman” · “from the old town”
99% boys · 1% girls
Eston
“from the eastern town”
>99% boys
Thornton
“from the town of thorn bushes”
>99% boys
Newton
“from the new town”
>99% boys
Linton
“from the flax town”
>99% boys
Hilton
“a wealthy woman” · “from the town on the hill”
85% boys · 15% girls
Wellington
“estate”
>99% boys
Melton
“from the mill town”
>99% boys