Drayton is an English surname from the many villages of that name, which combine the Old English draeg, a "portage" or slipway where boats were dragged, with tun, settlement, so it means "farm by the portage". In the United States it is also the name of Drayton Hall, the historic plantation house near Charleston. Drayton ranked number 1950 in 2000, peaked at number 1867 in 2012 and has drifted since, standing at number 2612 in 2025 with 50 boys.