UK name, mostly boys
Hudson
A masculine name of English origin meaning "son of Hugh".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Hudson is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Hudson popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #42, with 1,216 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 1,291 births.
This profile covers 9,104 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 94% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 9,846 living people in the UK are called Hudson. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Hudson ranked #42 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 1,216 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 1,291 boys were registered as Hudson.
- • Hudson ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #54 in 2024.
- • About 9,846 living people in the UK are estimated to have Hudson as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.9% of Hudson registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#42
2024
Births in 2024
1,216
Latest year
Peak year
2023
1,291 births
Estimated living
9,846
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Hudson
In England and Wales birth records, Hudson has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 99.9% of registrations are for boys and 0.1% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Hudson registered for boys
- Ranked #42 in 2024
- 1,216 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (1,291 births)
Hudson registered for girls
- Ranked #5,581 in 2021
- 3 girls registered in 2021
- Peak: 2011 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Hudson mean?
The name Hudson has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the combination of two words: "hūs" meaning house, and "dūn" meaning hill or down. This suggests that the name originally referred to a person who lived on a hill or near a particular house.
In its early forms, the name was spelled as "Hudsund" or "Hudsonde" in ancient records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of England, particularly in areas such as Yorkshire and Lancashire.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Hudson was Sir Henry Hudson, an English explorer and navigator who lived from around 1565 to 1611. He is renowned for his numerous voyages to the Arctic regions, including the discovery of the Hudson River and Hudson Bay, which were both named after him.
Another notable figure was Hendrick Hudson, a Dutch explorer born around 1565, who is often confused with his English counterpart, Sir Henry Hudson. Hendrick Hudson is credited with exploring the Hudson River, which later became part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland.
In the literary world, Hudson Strode (1892-1976) was an American author and educator known for his biographies of notable figures such as Woodrow Wilson and Ethan Allen.
Moving to the realm of music, Hudson Whittaker (1931-1981) was an American singer and songwriter who co-wrote the hit song "Tainted Love" for the band Soft Cell.
In more recent history, Hudson Yang (born 2003) is an American actor best known for his role as Eddie Huang in the sitcom "Fresh Off the Boat."
While these examples highlight the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals named Hudson, it is important to note that the name has been used across various cultures and time periods, reflecting its enduring appeal and historical significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Hudson over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Hudson in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Hudson, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 1,216 births in 2024, compared with 1,291 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hudson by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Hudson 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 | #51 | 5,656 | 5 |
| 2010s | #231 | 3,134 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1079 | 295 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2223 | 19 | 4 |
Geography
Where Hudson is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Hudson. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Hudson ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #54 in 2024.
Across the UK
Hudson in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#54 in 2024
16 years of NRS records, 592 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#99 in 2024
12 years of NISRA records, 203 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Hudson
-
Hudson Mohawke
record producer; disc jockey
Scottish composer, DJ and music producer
1986-
-
Hudson Swan
fiddler
Scottish musician
1954-
-
Hudson Irving
rugby league player
English rugby league footballer
1912-1947
-
Hudson Stuck
mountaineer; presbyter
co-led the first expedition to successfully climb the South Peak of Denali (Mount McKinley)
1863-1920
-
Hudson Kearley, 1st Viscount Devonport
politician
British politician (1856-1934)
1856-1934
-
Hudson Taylor
physician; missionary; translator; theologian; botanical collector; non-fiction writer; Bible translator
British Protestant missionary in China
1832-1905
-
Hudson Gurney
politician
British antiquarian
1775-1864
-
Hudson Lowe
military officer
British Army general
1769-1844
Related
Names similar to Hudson
- Harry 141,693
- Henry 65,177
- Harrison 45,958
- Harvey 35,648
- Harley 22,095
- Hugo 18,779
- Hayden 12,622
- Hunter 10,350
- Hamza 8,564
- Hassan 5,982
- Hasan 3,599
- Harris 3,545
FAQ
Hudson: questions and answers
How popular is the name Hudson in the UK right now?
In 2024, Hudson was ranked #42 for boys in England and Wales, with 1,216 births registered.
When was Hudson most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 1,291 babies registered as Hudson in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Hudson?
A masculine name of English origin meaning "son of Hugh".
How many people are called Hudson in the UK?
A total of 9,104 babies have been registered as Hudson across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 592 more in Scotland and 203 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Hudson most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Hudson ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #54 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.