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“Possibly from 'ransom' (redemption money) or patronym 'Ranulf's son'” — English (surname; word or patronymic origin)
Boy's name · #1695 in the US (2025) · Heirloom
Ransom is an heirloom: its strongest era came around 1882, when it ranked #464. It has thinned since but never left the records — about 4,900 boys since 1880, ranked #1695 today. It is also an American family name — about 17,000 people carried it as a surname in the 2010 census.
Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 8 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.
Among 34 notable people named Ransom:
Political leaders appear 2.48× more often than among typical names — e.g. Ransom W. Dunham, American politician (1838–1896).
Similar names: Smith · Ranger · Wylie · Taysom · Sloan · Merritt
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