Cameron
The story
Cameron began as a Scottish Highland surname, traditionally traced to the Gaelic cam sron, crooked nose, presumably the memorable feature of some long-forgotten chief; Clan Cameron itself stands among the storied names of the Highlands. Like many surnames it drifted slowly toward first-name use, and the American curve shows a patient climb rather than a sudden spark: rare before the 1950s, gathering through the 1970s and 1980s, then strong in the 1990s and peaking in the 2000s. Along the way it quietly went in both directions, staying a steady choice for boys while Cameron Diaz showed a generation it worked for daughters too. It has eased only slightly since its peak, settling into the comfortable middle of the charts. A name that means crooked nose and still sounds this smooth has clearly won some argument with history.
Cameron's name family
One shared root links 6 names across 2 languages.
Shared root: from Scottish Gaelic cam sròn "crooked nose", a Highland clan name turned given name; one name in many modern spellings
The family
More branches
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Cameron peaked in the 2000s.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
56 people · the #61,636 first name in Brazil · median age 22
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
How the spellings raced
Across these spellings, Cameron led in the group’s busiest decade, the 2000s. So far in the 2020s, Cameron leads.
Decade totals from US Social Security birth registrations. Every line uses the same scale. The 2020s covers 2020–2025.
When you meet Cameron
Most people given the name Cameron in the United States are teenagers or young adults today.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Cameron deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Cameron truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Cameron fits with your family’s names and surname.
Keep exploring
Names like Cameron · Nicknames for Cameron · Middle names for Cameron
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