| Hudson | Lincoln | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Son of Hugh | Lake colony |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | HUD-sun | LINK-un |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2025 (8,583) | 2017 (8,202) |
| In 2025 | 8,583 | 4,703 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Hudson | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 46,951 | 33,535 |
| 2010s | 51,463 | 52,017 |
| 2000s | 12,220 | 8,804 |
| 1990s | 1,496 | 1,693 |
| 1980s | 294 | 1,158 |
| 1970s | 133 | 1,318 |
| 1960s | 146 | 1,260 |
| 1950s | 200 | 818 |
| 1940s | 235 | 845 |
| 1930s | 255 | 852 |
| 1920s | 384 | 1,302 |
| 1910s | 334 | 905 |
| 1900s | 75 | 176 |
| 1890s | 67 | 141 |
| 1880s | 34 | 94 |
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.
An English place name, from Roman Lindum Colonia, “colony by the pool.” Borne by a US president.
Hudson is more popular than Lincoln today: about 8,583 US babies were given the name Hudson in 2025, compared with 4,703 named Lincoln.
Hudson means Son of Hugh (English origin), while Lincoln means Lake colony (English origin).
In US records, Hudson first appears in 1880 and Lincoln in 1880, so Hudson has the longer recorded history.