← All names

Preston

Boy name · 195 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Preston: 195 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 21 births in 2006.

Preston first emerged as a habitational name from any of several places in England bearing this Old English name, meaning "priest's town" or "settlement of the priests." The name carried a dignified, clerical air long before it became a modern given name. Famous bearers include Preston Sturges, the brilliant Hollywood writer-director who defined the screwball comedy genre with classics like *The Lady Eve* and *Sullivan's Travels*. The city of Preston in Lancashire takes its name from the same roots, as does Prestonpans in East Lothian, Scotland, which grew famous for the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans. Among the many variants, the surname form is far more common in Britain, while in the United States, Preston often appears as a refined, gentlemanly first name choice.