Given name & surname
Ransom
“the warrior's shield”
Ransom is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “the warrior's shield.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “the warrior's shield.”
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 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ransom through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,869
- 4,859 boys · 10 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 111 babies
- 2025
- 97
- #1,695 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +10%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 97 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,695 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 11.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (11). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,490 as a first name in 2020; 16,469 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.
Ransom’s family of names
Ransom has a related form in Ransome. Ransom has a related form in Ransam. Ransom has a related form in Ransem.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Ransom
- Ransom RiggsAmerican writer and filmmakerborn 1979
- Ransom E. OldsAmerican businessman (1864–1950)
- Ransom W. DunhamAmerican politician (1838–1896)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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