How to say it
PRES · ton
ˈprɛs.tən
Masculine
Preston
Priest's town
What it means
An English place name, 'priest's town or estate,' from Old English preost plus tun.
Preston is an English locational name meaning 'priest's town,' from preost and tun, a settlement once held by the church. It is a common town and surname across England, including the city in Lancashire, and it crossed into first-name use on the surname-as-first wave. It reads polished and a little preppy, settling in beside Weston and Easton. Steady rather than trendy.
How to spell Preston
The standard spelling is Preston. Common variants include Prestyn, Prestan, but Preston is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #114 in 2006, currently #299 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
A 'priest's town' place name; one of the cleaner -ton surname-first picks.
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.
- Preston Sturges American screenwriter and director of 1940s comedies
Spelling variants
- Prestyn
- Prestan
Names with the same feeling
See Preston from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Preston mean?
- An English place name, 'priest's town or estate,' from Old English preost plus tun.
- What does Preston mean in English?
- In English, Preston means "Priest's town." Preston is an English locational name meaning 'priest's town,' from preost and tun, a settlement once held by the church. It is a common town and surname across England, including the city in Lancashire, and it crossed into first-name use on the surname-as-first wave. It reads polished and a little preppy, settling in beside Weston and Easton. Steady rather than trendy.
- How do you pronounce Preston?
- Preston is pronounced ˈprɛs.tən. Say it as PRES-ton, with the stress on the "pres" syllable.
- How do you spell Preston?
- The standard spelling is Preston. Common spelling variants include Prestyn, Prestan.
- Is Preston a boy or girl name?
- Preston is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Preston?
- Preston ranked #299 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.