Creighton is a unique and distinctive name of English origin. It is derived from the Old English word "creu," which means "crow." The name was traditionally used as a surname, but in recent years, it has become more popular as a given name for boys.
The name Creighton is believed to have originated as a habitational name, denoting someone who lived by a creek or stream. The Old English word "tun" meaning "settlement" was often added to the end of place names to indicate where people lived. Therefore, Creighton could be interpreted as "the settlement by the crow-infested creek."
The surname Creighton was first recorded in the early 13th century when William Creiton was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1225. The name has since become established as a Scottish Clan name, with the Creightons of Cubbingden being one of the most notable families.
In literature and popular culture, the name Creighton has appeared in several works, such as the character Creighton Caruthers in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby," and the fictional town of Creighton in Stephen King's novella "The Road Virus Heads North." These appearances have helped to increase the name's visibility and contribute to its growing popularity.
Today, Creighton is still a relatively uncommon given name, but it has gained some traction in recent years. Parents may choose this name for their sons because of its unique sound, its English heritage, or its connection to the Crow family of birds. Overall, Creighton is an interesting and distinctive name with a rich history and a strong sense of place.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Creighton has seen varied popularity over the years in the United States.
From 1906 to 2023, there have been a total of 3706 births with the name Creighton. The earliest recorded birth was in 1906 with 5 occurrences, followed by another 5 in 1912, indicating that the name had some popularity at the beginning of the 20th century.
The peak years for the name Creighton were between 1944 and 1957. During this period, the number of births with the name ranged from a high of 33 in 1944 to a low of 22 in 1958. This trend suggests that Creighton was quite popular among parents during these years.
After 1957, there was a decline in the popularity of the name Creighton. The number of births with the name dropped significantly, reaching as low as 14 births in 1962. However, it started to rise again in the late 1960s and early 1970s, peaking at 46 births in 1971.
Since then, the popularity of Creighton has fluctuated but remained relatively stable. The highest number of births since 1980 was recorded in 2007 with 81 occurrences, while the lowest was 27 births in 1998.
In recent years, Creighton has maintained a consistent level of popularity, with around 30 to 50 births per year between 2004 and 2023. The most recent data shows that there were 41 births with the name Creighton in 2023, indicating that it remains a popular choice among parents today.
Overall, while Creighton has seen varying degrees of popularity over the years, it has consistently been chosen as a boy's name since 1906. Its peak popularity occurred during the mid-20th century, but it continues to be selected by parents even in recent times.