UK boy's name
Dayton
Of English origin, meaning "day's town" or "town in the daylight".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Dayton is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dayton popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2546, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 23 births.
This profile covers 288 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1998 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 35% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 286 living people in the UK are called Dayton. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Dayton ranked #2546 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 23 boys were registered as Dayton.
- • About 286 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dayton as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2546
2023
Births in 2023
8
Latest year
Peak year
2010
23 births
Estimated living
286
2026
Meaning
What does Dayton mean?
The name Dayton is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, derived from the combination of the words "dæg" meaning "day" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a settlement or town associated with a particular day or event.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dayton can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086 to record the landholdings and population of England. In this document, the name appears as "Dægtun," referring to a location in the county of Wiltshire.
Throughout history, the name Dayton has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Dayton Ogden (c. 1620-1698), an American colonial merchant and landowner who founded the town of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, in 1664.
Another prominent figure was Jonathan Dayton (1760-1824), a Revolutionary War officer and prominent politician who served as the third Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and a member of the Continental Congress. He played a significant role in the ratification of the United States Constitution.
In the literary world, Dayton Lummis (1825-1892) was an American author, historian, and journalist who wrote extensively about the American West and Native American cultures. His works include "A New Mexico David and Other Stories and Sketches of the Southwest" and "The Land of Poco Tiempo."
Dayton Clarence Miller (1866-1963) was an American physicist and acoustician, known for his pioneering work in the field of sound and vibration. He developed the Millerscope, an instrument used to visualize sound waves, and made significant contributions to the understanding of the behavior of sound.
In more recent times, Dayton Allen (1949-2004) was an American actor and voice artist, best known for his roles in films such as "The Howling" and "Cujo," as well as his voice work in various animated series and video games.
While these are just a few examples, the name Dayton has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, reflecting its enduring appeal and connection to its ancient roots.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Dayton over time
The chart below shows babies named Dayton registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Dayton, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2023, compared with 23 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dayton by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dayton was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2913 | 26 | 4 |
| 2010s | #1553 | 162 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1740 | 92 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2422 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Dayton
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Dayton: questions and answers
How popular is the name Dayton in the UK right now?
In 2023, Dayton was ranked #2546 for boys in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Dayton most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 23 babies registered as Dayton in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Dayton?
Of English origin, meaning "day's town" or "town in the daylight".
How many people are called Dayton in the UK?
A total of 288 babies have been registered as Dayton across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.