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