How to say it
HUD · sun
ˈhʌd.sən
Masculine
Hudson
Son of Hudd
What it means
An Old English surname meaning 'son of Hudd.' Hudd was a medieval pet form of Richard or possibly Hugh.
Hudson held the surname role for centuries before any modern parent considered it as a first name. Henry Hudson, the 17th-century English explorer who gave his name to the Hudson River and Hudson Bay, made the surname famous in North America. The shift to a given name came late: it entered the US top 200 in 2003 and the top fifty by 2015. Surname-as-first-name like Carter, Cooper, Mason, and Grayson. Rarely shortened.
How to spell Hudson
The standard spelling is Hudson. Common variants include Hutson, Hudsen, but Hudson is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #17 in 2025, currently #17 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
- Nickname
Hud is the only common short, and it lands more on personality than on Hudsons themselves.
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.
- Henry Hudson English sea explorer and navigator for whom the Hudson River is named
Spelling variants
- Hutson
- Hudsen
Names with the same feeling
See Hudson from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Hudson mean?
- An Old English surname meaning 'son of Hudd.' Hudd was a medieval pet form of Richard or possibly Hugh.
- What does Hudson mean in Old English?
- In Old English, Hudson means "Son of Hudd." Hudson held the surname role for centuries before any modern parent considered it as a first name. Henry Hudson, the 17th-century English explorer who gave his name to the Hudson River and Hudson Bay, made the surname famous in North America. The shift to a given name came late: it entered the US top 200 in 2003 and the top fifty by 2015. Surname-as-first-name like Carter, Cooper, Mason, and Grayson. Rarely shortened.
- Is Hudson short for Richard?
- Yes. Hudson is a short form of Richard, and it carries the same meaning, "Son of Hudd." These days many parents use Hudson as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Hudson?
- Hudson is pronounced ˈhʌd.sən. Say it as HUD-sun, with the stress on the "hud" syllable.
- How do you spell Hudson?
- The standard spelling is Hudson. Common spelling variants include Hutson, Hudsen.
- Is Hudson a boy or girl name?
- Hudson is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Hudson?
- Hudson ranked #17 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.