Cameron
Cameron Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
KAM-er-on
Meaning of Cameron: Cameron derives from the Scottish Gaelic cam srón, meaning crooked nose—a physical description that became a clan identifier in the Scottish Highlands. Clan Cameron, one of Scotland’s most storied Highland clans, traces its history to the 13th century in Lochaber, Inverness-shire.
The name Cameron of Lochiel served as a symbol of Highland resistance, most famously during the Jacobite Rising of 1745.
As a given name, Cameron spread to England and North America through Scottish emigration in the 18th and 19th centuries. According to SSA records, Cameron entered the US top 200 for boys in the 1980s and has climbed since.
What Does Cameron Mean? Origin & Etymology
The name is used for both boys and girls—reflecting the broader American trend of adopting Scottish and Irish clan surnames as gender-neutral given names.
According to SSA records, Cameron entered the US boys’ top 100 in 1995 and peaked at rank 36 in 2002 with over 8,000 births. As of 2024, it ranks #66 for boys with 5,856 registered births.
For girls, it ranks around 250–350—making the boys’ count roughly 4:1 over girls, retaining its predominantly masculine character while accepting feminine use.
British Prime Minister David Cameron (2010–2016) and actress Cameron Diaz (born 1972) represent the name’s cross-gender cultural visibility. Cameron Diaz’s fame in the 1990s and 2000s gave the name a feminine association in American popular culture that reinforced its gender-neutral appeal.
Notably, the HBO series House featured a female character Dr. Allison Cameron from 2004 onward, further normalizing the name for girls.
How Popular Is Cameron?
Numerology & Symbolism of Cameron
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Cameron – Similar Names & Alternatives
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Frequently Asked Questions about Cameron
What does Cameron mean?
Cameron means crooked nose, from the Scottish Gaelic cam srón. The physical description became the identifier for Clan Cameron, one of Scotland’s most prominent Highland clans based in Lochaber, Inverness-shire, known for their Jacobite loyalty in the 1745 Rising.
Where does the name Cameron come from?
Cameron comes from Scottish Gaelic and the Highland clan tradition. As a given name, it spread through Scottish emigration to North America and entered the US top 100 for boys in 1995. It is now used for both boys and girls, reflecting the trend of adopting Celtic clan surnames as given names.
How popular is Cameron in the US?
Cameron ranks #66 for boys in the US in 2024, according to SSA records, with 5,856 registered births. It peaked at rank #36 in 2002 with over 8,000 births. For girls it ranks around 250–350, making boys’ use roughly 4 times higher.
Is Cameron a girls’ name or a boys’ name?
What are variants of Cameron?
Cameron – Name Variants & Spellings
| Variant | Language |
|---|---|
| Camron | English spelling variant |
| Kameron | English variant |