Payton

Derived from an English place-name surname denoting Pæga's homestead. It crossed over from family ledgers to the nursery roster in the late twentieth century, bolstered by sports fandom and the American turn toward surname-firsts. By the turn of the millennium, it had settled comfortably on both sides of the nursery aisle.

The name reads as someone born during the George W. Bush administration who played travel soccer on weekends. It carries the relaxed cadence of turn-of-the-century suburban rosters. Almost three-quarters of its holders are young women, though it remains familiar on boys without raising eyebrows. It is difficult to picture a Payton using a rotary phone.