How to say it
PAY · ton
ˈpeɪ.tən
Feminine
Payton
Pacca's town
What it means
A spelling of Peyton, an English place name, 'Pacca's settlement,' from a personal name plus tun.
Payton is a respelling of Peyton, an English locational surname meaning 'Pacca's town.' Like other surname-names it went unisex, but the Payton spelling leans feminine, while Peyton stays closer to the middle (Peyton Manning on the boys' side). It reads breezy and modern, with Pay as the short. Paityn is the most stylized variant.
How to spell Payton
The standard spelling is Payton. Common variants include Peyton, Paityn, Paeton, but Payton is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #79 in 2010, currently #440 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
- Spelling
Payton and Peyton are the same place name; Payton leans feminine.
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.
- Payton Pritchard American professional basketball player in the NBA
Spelling variants
- Peyton
- Paityn
- Paeton
Names with the same feeling
See Payton from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Payton mean?
- A spelling of Peyton, an English place name, 'Pacca's settlement,' from a personal name plus tun.
- What does Payton mean in English?
- In English, Payton means "Pacca's town." Payton is a respelling of Peyton, an English locational surname meaning 'Pacca's town.' Like other surname-names it went unisex, but the Payton spelling leans feminine, while Peyton stays closer to the middle (Peyton Manning on the boys' side). It reads breezy and modern, with Pay as the short. Paityn is the most stylized variant.
- How do you pronounce Payton?
- Payton is pronounced ˈpeɪ.tən. Say it as PAY-ton, with the stress on the "pay" syllable.
- How do you spell Payton?
- The standard spelling is Payton. Common spelling variants include Peyton, Paityn, Paeton.
- Is Payton a boy or girl name?
- Payton is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Payton?
- Payton ranked #440 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.