In 1963, the name Sutton, which had previously appeared in the U.S. baby name data only as a boy name, suddenly popped up as a girl name:
- 1965: 11 baby girls named Sutton
- 1964: 12 baby girls named Sutton
- 1963: 20 baby girls named Sutton [gender-specific debut]
- 1962: unlisted
- 1961: unlisted
Why?
Because of a one-episode character on the short-lived TV western Stoney Burke (1962-1963).
In the episode “Child of Luxury,” which aired on October 15, 1962, a wealthy young woman named Sutton Meade (played by Ina Balin) developed a crush on rodeo rider Stoney Burke (played by Jack Lord). Stoney made it clear he wasn’t interested, so Sutton — who was accustomed to getting what she wanted — started plotting her revenge.
After that, the name remained relatively unisex until 2012, when the usage for baby girls really began taking off:
What caused the surge?
Actress Sutton Foster, who’d been a Broadway star before making the jump to television with a starring role in the TV series Bunheads (2012-2013).
The name Sutton comes directly from the English surname Sutton, which means “south settlement.”
Would you consider using the name Sutton for your baby? (If so, for a boy or for a girl?)
Sources:
- Child of Luxury – Stoney Burke – IMDB
- Hanks, Patrick. (Ed.) Dictionary of American Family Names. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
- Sutton Foster – Wikipedia