UK girl's name
Paighton
A feminine name derived from the name Peyton, diminutive of Pey, from an Old French surname.
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.
Paighton is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Paighton popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 21 births.
This profile covers 214 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 14% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 221 living people in the UK are called Paighton. 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
- • Paighton ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 21 girls were registered as Paighton.
- • Paighton ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #806 in 2015.
- • About 221 living people in the UK are estimated to have Paighton as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2012
21 births
Estimated living
221
2026
Meaning
What does Paighton mean?
The given name Paighton is a relatively modern invention, with no clear origins or established meaning from ancient languages or cultures. It appears to be a variant spelling of the English name Peyton, which itself is a locational surname derived from the Old English words "pea" (a hill or high ground) and "tun" (an enclosure or settlement).
While the name Peyton has a long history, dating back to the 11th century in England, the spelling Paighton is much more recent. It likely emerged in the late 20th century as a creative or intentional misspelling, perhaps to give the name a more distinctive or feminine quality. There are no known historical references or famous individuals specifically named Paighton in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Paighton can be found in the United States in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it began to appear as a first name for newborn girls. However, it remains a relatively uncommon name, with no widely recognized famous bearers throughout history.
Some individuals who have been given the first name Paighton in more recent times include Paighton Laine, an American singer and songwriter born in 1996; Paighton Masterson, an American actress and model born in 1998; and Paighton Houston, an American professional basketball player born in 1999. While these individuals have achieved some level of recognition in their respective fields, they are not widely known historical figures.
It is worth noting that the name Paighton, like many modern name creations, does not have a rich historical lineage or deep cultural significance. Its popularity and usage have largely been driven by contemporary naming trends and personal preferences rather than established traditions or historical references.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Paighton over time
The chart below shows babies named Paighton registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Paighton, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 21 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paighton by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Paighton 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 | #4258 | 22 | 4 |
| 2010s | #2106 | 138 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3555 | 37 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2550 | 17 | 3 |
Geography
Where Paighton is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Paighton. 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.
Paighton ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #806 in 2015.
Across the UK
Paighton in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#806 in 2015
2 years of NRS records, 8 total registered
Related
Names similar to Paighton
- Poppy 52,802
- Phoebe 47,609
- Paige 24,717
- Penelope 13,109
- Pippa 6,346
- Polly 5,678
- Philippa 4,446
- Penny 4,394
- Paris 4,372
- Piper 3,961
- Pearl 3,516
- Paisley 3,419
FAQ
Paighton: questions and answers
How popular is the name Paighton in the UK right now?
In 2024, Paighton was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Paighton most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 21 babies registered as Paighton in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Paighton?
A feminine name derived from the name Peyton, diminutive of Pey, from an Old French surname.
How many people are called Paighton in the UK?
A total of 214 babies have been registered as Paighton across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 8 more in Scotland.
Where is Paighton most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Paighton ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #806 in 2015. 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.