Knox

The surname is inseparable from John Knox (c. 1514-1572), the Scottish theologian and leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland, founder of the Presbyterian denomination.

His thunderous preaching and confrontations with Mary, Queen of Scots made him one of the most consequential figures in Scottish religious history. Through him, the name carried strong Calvinist and Reformed associations for centuries.

In American history, Knox honors Major General Henry Knox (1750-1806), the Revolutionary War artillery officer who hauled cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in the winter of 1775-1776, later serving as the first United States Secretary of War.

Fort Knox in Kentucky, famous as the depository of U.S. gold reserves, bears his name. The character Knox Overstreet also appears in Tom Schulman’s screenplay for Dead Poets Society (1989).

As a first name, Knox remained rare until the 21st century. It entered the U.S. Social Security Administration top 1000 in 2009, coinciding with the birth of Knox Jolie-Pitt, son of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, in 2008.

The name subsequently surged into the top 200 by 2019, part of a broader trend favoring short, punchy, consonant-heavy boys’ names such as Max, Jax, and Beckett.

Knox is most popular in the United States, particularly in Southern and Mountain states, with growing use in Australia and Canada. It remains uncommon in the United Kingdom despite its Scottish origin.