Mason is a masculine given name of English origin. It is derived from the occupational surname Mason, which was originally given to a person who worked with stone or brick as their profession. The name Mason means "stoneworker" or "bricklayer."
The use of Mason as a given name is a relatively recent phenomenon. While it has been used as a surname for centuries, it did not become popular as a first name until the latter half of the 20th century. Today, Mason is a popular choice among parents looking for a strong and masculine-sounding name for their sons.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Mason. One of the most famous was James Mason (1909-1984), an English actor who appeared in numerous films throughout his career. Another notable figure is Charles Mason (1728-1786), a British astronomer and surveyor who played a significant role in determining the official boundaries between several states in the United States.
In popular culture, the name Mason has been used in various forms of media. For example, it was the name of a main character in the television series "Boy Meets World" (1993-2000), and it is also the name of one of the protagonists in the film "The Butterfly Effect" (2004).
The name Mason has a long and interesting history in the United States, as evidenced by these statistics of births over time.
In the late 1800s, Mason was not a particularly popular name, with fewer than 25 births per year from 1880 to 1893. However, it started to gain traction in the early 1900s, with more than 20 births per year from 1904 onwards.
The name Mason really began to take off in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with over 150 births per year recorded between 1968 and 1973. This trend continued throughout the 1980s, with more than 200 births per year from 1984 onwards.
The popularity of Mason peaked in the early to mid-1990s, with over 5000 births recorded each year between 1993 and 1996. This made it one of the most popular names for boys during this time period.
However, despite its peak in popularity, Mason has remained a consistently popular name throughout the late 20th century and into the 21st century. Even as recently as 2022, there were still over 7000 births recorded with the name Mason.
Overall, these statistics show that while Mason may not have been one of the most popular names in every year, it has certainly been a mainstay in American naming trends for well over a century.