How to say it
ASH · ton
ˈæʃ.tən
Unisex
Ashton
Ash-tree town
What it means
Old English place name from æsc ('ash tree') + tūn ('town'). Ashton Kutcher made the name a recognized modern American first name; That '70s Show + Punk'd era anchored its early-2000s usage.
Ashton is an English place name from Old English æsc ('ash tree') + tūn ('town, settlement'). Multiple villages in England carry the name (Ashton-under-Lyne, Ashton-in-Makerfield). The surname has been common since the medieval period. Ashton Kutcher (the actor, born 1978) is the dominant English-language cultural anchor for the first-name usage, That '70s Show (1998-2006) and Punk'd (2003-2007) put him on screens during a peak naming year. As a first name Ashton surged in the US in the late 1990s and 2000s, peaking around 2005. It's now sliding gently. No common short.
How to spell Ashton
The standard spelling is Ashton. Common variants include Ashtyn, Ashten, but Ashton is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
Feminine: peaked at #260 in 1989, currently #2173 in 2025.
Masculine: peaked at #76 in 2004, currently #197 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Ashton Kutcher (That '70s Show, Punk'd, Two and a Half Men, then tech investing) is the inescapable English-language anchor.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Ashton Kutcher American actor and investor, That '70s Show and Punk'd
Spelling variants
- Ashtyn
- Ashten
Names with the same feeling
See Ashton from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Ashton mean?
- Old English place name from æsc ('ash tree') + tūn ('town'). Ashton Kutcher made the name a recognized modern American first name; That '70s Show + Punk'd era anchored its early-2000s usage.
- What does Ashton mean in Old English?
- In Old English, Ashton means "Ash-tree town." Ashton is an English place name from Old English æsc ('ash tree') + tūn ('town, settlement'). Multiple villages in England carry the name (Ashton-under-Lyne, Ashton-in-Makerfield). The surname has been common since the medieval period. Ashton Kutcher (the actor, born 1978) is the dominant English-language cultural anchor for the first-name usage, That '70s Show (1998-2006) and Punk'd (2003-2007) put him on screens during a peak naming year. As a first name Ashton surged in the US in the late 1990s and 2000s, peaking around 2005. It's now sliding gently. No common short.
- How do you pronounce Ashton?
- Ashton is pronounced ˈæʃ.tən. Say it as ASH-ton, with the stress on the "ash" syllable.
- How do you spell Ashton?
- The standard spelling is Ashton. Common spelling variants include Ashtyn, Ashten.
- Is Ashton a boy or girl name?
- Ashton is used for both boys and girls.
- How popular is the name Ashton?
- Ashton ranked #2173 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.