Peyton

Peyton comes from an English surname associated with a place-name. Explanations of its earliest elements differ, so the often-repeated “fighting man’s estate” is best treated as an interpretation rather than a settled translation. Its surname history is more certain than that particular meaning.

Football player Peyton Manning provides a familiar association, while actress Peyton List illustrates its use for girls. Payton is a closely related spelling with the same usual English pronunciation, PAY-tun. Parents comparing the two should look at their separate birth-record entries, because a chart for Peyton does not include Payton. The name can honor a family surname or a favorite bearer without depending on a disputed ancient meaning.