Halston: Baby Name of the Day

The baby name Halston fits perfectly with our love of surname names. Bonus? It’s surprisingly underused.

Thanks to Clio for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

LAST NAME FIRST

We recognize Halston as a surname, but its exact origins are debated.

It could come from Old Norse, where it would have been closer to Halstein, from the words for rock and stone.

If you’re thinking about Alston, that’s a Old English name, or rather several Old English names: Aelstan, Aelfstan, and Ealhstan.

The map might get credit, too, with multiple places given similar names throughout England.

Lastly, the German Holstein brings to mind cattle. But it’s actually a German surname, meaning “dweller in the woods.” In some cases, Holstein might have been simplified to Halston.

70s STYLE

While the origins may be unclear, there’s no question why we recognize the name.

That’s down to Iowa native Roy Frowick.

Never heard of him? He’s better known by his middle name – and middle name only – Halston.

Young Roy left Iowa for design school in Chicago and became a milliner. He created Jacqueline Kennedy’s iconic pillbox hat for JFK’s 1961 inauguration.

That attracted plenty of attention and lots of new business, too. One little hat eventually led him into a full range of clothing.

After all, hats were fading.

His collections became known for an easy, minimalist take on elegance. (They still are, come to that.) Halston embraced functional pieces, like pants for women, made in luxurious materials.

As his career progressed, he designed uniforms for an airline, the US Olympic team, and even the Girl Scouts.

Halston later ventured into the mass market, with a JCPenney collaboration. At the time, it damaged his brand. But ultimately, the decision paved the way for so many affordable collections from high end names at chains like Target.

Even if we’re not wearing Halston clothing now, we’re living in his world.

HOW POPULAR IS HALSTON?

Despite the brand’s tremendous success, no one named their kids Halston in the 1970s. It took a wave of polished surname names to make parents cautiously consider this one.

In 1981, five boys received the name.

By 1989, that number was up to 17 boys, plus eight girls.

Over the next three decades, the numbers held steady. A few dozen children received the name annually.

But heading into 2020, the baby name Halston started to rise – and quickly. It peaked in 2022, with 110 girls and 79 boys receiving the name. The name slipped a bit in 2023, with 97 girls and 60 boys named Halston.

But don’t count it out just yet.

HADLEY and SAGE

Young actress Halston Sage might get credit for some of the name’s rise. She’s known for her television roles, like Fox’s The Orville and Prodigal Son, as well as the movie Paper Towns and Daughter of the Bride.

But Halston really succeeds as an H-name alternative to popular favorites like Harper, Hadley, and Harlow. It’s similar, but fresh and new, too.

Plus Halston retains a hint of style-conscious appeal, even decades after the Studio 54 era.

It’s a perfect fits-in/stands-out choice, for a daughter or a son.

What do you think of the baby name Halston? Do you like it better for a son or a daughter?

First published on September 4, 2019, this post was revised on May 28, 2024.