NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Dickson

Son of Richard, from the surname derived from the given name Richard.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1997. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Dickson is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dickson popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1997 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2859, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 3 births.

This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 1997 to 1997. 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.

Dickson is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Dickson. 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 1998 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Dickson ranked #2859 for boys in England and Wales in 1997, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 3 boys were registered as Dickson.
  • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dickson as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2859

1997

Births in 1997

3

Latest year

Peak year

1997

3 births

Estimated living

3

2026

Meaning

What does Dickson mean?

The name Dickson is believed to have originated in England and Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a patronymic name derived from the Old English personal name "Dicca" or "Diccon," which itself is a pet form of the name Richard.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Dickson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Dicson" in this historical record.

In the 12th century, the name Dickson was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland, which were administrative records kept by the English government. This suggests that individuals bearing the name Dickson were living in the northern region of England during this time period.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the name Dickson was Sir Adam Dickson, a Scottish knight who lived in the 13th century. He is mentioned in various medieval Scottish chronicles and was known for his military service.

Another notable bearer of the name Dickson was John Dickson, a Scottish theologian and philosopher who lived from 1583 to 1663. He was a professor at the University of Glasgow and wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 18th century, James Dickson (1738-1822) was a British botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the West Indies and other regions. He is credited with introducing numerous plant species to Britain and Europe.

During the 19th century, Sir James Dickson (1832-1901) was a prominent Australian politician and lawyer. He served as the Premier of Queensland and played a crucial role in the federation of Australia.

In the field of literature, one of the most famous individuals with the name Dickson was the American writer Harry Dickson (1891-1975). He is best known for his science fiction and fantasy stories, many of which were published in popular pulp magazines in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Dickson by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dickson 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
1990s #2859 3 1

Related

Names similar to Dickson

FAQ

Dickson: questions and answers

How popular is the name Dickson in the UK right now?

In 1997, Dickson was ranked #2859 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Dickson most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 3 babies registered as Dickson in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Dickson?

Son of Richard, from the surname derived from the given name Richard.

How many people are called Dickson in the UK?

A total of 3 babies have been registered as Dickson across the 1 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.