Revision History

loadingDate    Editor    Change Summary
1/21/2022, 9:40 PM Mike C update #111
11/16/2019, 11:04 AM Mike C update #105
8/16/2017, 11:57 PM Mike C update #96
3/21/2014, 10:33 PM Mike C update #88
2/12/2007, 1:03 AM Mike C earliest recorded revision

Gender Feminine & Masculine
Usage English
Pronounced Pron. PAY-tən

Meaning & History

From an English surname, originally a place name meaning "Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys [1].

Famous bearers include Peyton Randolph (1721-1775), the first president of the Continental Congress, and American football quarterback Peyton Manning (1976-).