Given name & surname
Knox
“from the rounded hill Kнохх, Knoks, Knocks”
Knox is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the rounded hill Kнохх, Knoks, Knocks.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the rounded hill Kнохх, Knoks, Knocks.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1881. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Knox through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 24,382
- 24,142 boys · 240 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 1,931 babies
- 2025
- 1,849
- #196 for boys · #8,121 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +12%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,836 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 196 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 13 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (189). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 12,713 as a first name in 2020; 43,026 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.
Knox’s family of names
Knox may belong to the same name family as KNOXX. This is a tentative spelling connection.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Knox
- Knox MartinAmerican artist (1923–2022)
- Knox ChandlerAmerican musicianborn 1954
- Knox CunninghamBritish politician (1909-1976)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Knox, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Brooks
“from the running stream”
98% boys · 2% girls
Maddox
“born into wealth and prosperity” · “the son of the benefactor”
96% boys · 4% girls
Nash
“from the cliffs”
99% boys · 1% girls
Colt
“a young horse; from the coal town”
>99% boys
Banks
Banks is a surname.
91% boys · 9% girls
Colter
“a horse herdsman”
>99% boys
Wells
“from the springs”
98% boys · 2% girls
Kingston
“from the king's town”
>99% boys