How to say it
KING · ston
ˈkɪŋ.stən
Masculine
Kingston
King's town
What it means
Old English place name from cyning ('king') + tūn ('town'). The capital of Jamaica is Kingston; Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale naming their son Kingston (2006) sparked the modern US first-name surge.
Kingston is an English place name from Old English cyning ('king') + tūn ('town'). Multiple villages in England carry the name (Kingston upon Thames in London, Kingston upon Hull). Kingston, Jamaica, is the capital and largest city of the island, founded 1693 and named for King William III. Reggae's roots in Kingston gave the name particular cultural weight. Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale naming their son Kingston (2006) sparked the modern US first-name surge. It entered the US top 200 in 2013. Common short: King.
How to spell Kingston
The standard spelling is Kingston. Common variants include Kingstone, but Kingston is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #112 in 2021, currently #204 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
Kingston, Jamaica (the reggae capital) and the Stefani-Rossdale firstborn cover two different cultural surfaces; some families lean into the Jamaica/reggae coding, others use the name without it.
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.
- Kingston, Jamaica Capital of Jamaica, the reggae cradle
- Kingston Rossdale Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale's eldest son, born 2006
Spelling variants
- Kingstone
Names with the same feeling
See Kingston from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Kingston mean?
- Old English place name from cyning ('king') + tūn ('town'). The capital of Jamaica is Kingston; Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale naming their son Kingston (2006) sparked the modern US first-name surge.
- What does Kingston mean in Old English?
- In Old English, Kingston means "King's town." Kingston is an English place name from Old English cyning ('king') + tūn ('town'). Multiple villages in England carry the name (Kingston upon Thames in London, Kingston upon Hull). Kingston, Jamaica, is the capital and largest city of the island, founded 1693 and named for King William III. Reggae's roots in Kingston gave the name particular cultural weight. Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale naming their son Kingston (2006) sparked the modern US first-name surge. It entered the US top 200 in 2013. Common short: King.
- How do you pronounce Kingston?
- Kingston is pronounced ˈkɪŋ.stən. Say it as KING-ston, with the stress on the "king" syllable.
- How do you spell Kingston?
- The standard spelling is Kingston. Common spelling variants include Kingstone.
- Is Kingston a boy or girl name?
- Kingston is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Kingston?
- Kingston ranked #204 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.