Given name & surname · also English
Stetson
“child of one who is crowned”·“a cowboy”
Stetson is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “child of one who is crowned” (English) and “a cowboy” (American). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “child of one who is crowned” (English) and “a cowboy” (American). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with English and American naming traditions.
How it developed
From Middle English Stidewardesdoune, from Old English *Stīthweardes.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1930. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Stetson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 15,725
- 15,604 boys · 121 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 2,699 babies
- 2025
- 2,699
- #136 for boys · #3,968 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +302%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,662 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 136 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 299.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 37 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (346). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,822 as a first name in 2020; 3,622 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.
Stetson’s family of names
Stetson has a related form in Stetcyn. Stetson has a related form in Stetsan. Stetson has a related form in Stetsen.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Stetson
- Stetson KennedyAuthor, folklorist, anti-Ku Klux Klan crusader (1916-2011)
- Stetson BennettAmerican football player (born 1997)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Stetson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Sterling
“one who is highly valued”
83% boys · 17% girls
Benson
“the son of Ben”
>99% boys
Weston
“from the western town”
>99% boys
Waylon
“from the roadside land”
99% boys · 1% girls
Hudson
“one who is adventurous; an explorer” · “the son of Hugh; from the river”
99% boys · 1% girls
Shepherd
“one who herds sheep”
>99% boys
Kingston
“from the king's town”
>99% boys
Easton
“a wholesome woman” · “from the eastern town”
99% boys · 1% girls