| Hudson | Cooper | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Son of Hugh | Barrel maker |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | HUD-sun | KOO-per |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1882 |
| Peak year | 2025 (8,583) | 2025 (7,472) |
| In 2025 | 8,583 | 7,472 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Hudson | Cooper |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 46,951 | 33,528 |
| 2010s | 51,463 | 49,273 |
| 2000s | 12,220 | 32,438 |
| 1990s | 1,496 | 6,274 |
| 1980s | 294 | 1,020 |
| 1970s | 133 | 238 |
| 1960s | 146 | 155 |
| 1950s | 200 | 118 |
| 1940s | 235 | 117 |
| 1930s | 255 | 135 |
| 1920s | 384 | 172 |
| 1910s | 334 | 163 |
| 1900s | 75 | 20 |
| 1890s | 67 | 21 |
| 1880s | 34 | 30 |
Hudson comes from an English surname meaning “son of Hudde,” a medieval pet form of Hugh or Richard. It also recalls the Hudson River, named for explorer Henry Hudson.
Cooper is an English occupational surname for a maker of barrels and casks.
Hudson is more popular than Cooper today: about 8,583 US babies were given the name Hudson in 2025, compared with 7,472 named Cooper.
Hudson means Son of Hugh (English origin), while Cooper means Barrel maker (English origin).
In US records, Hudson first appears in 1880 and Cooper in 1882, so Hudson has the longer recorded history.