Crae
Of Irish origin, representing a person's association with a crag or rocky hill.
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Crae. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Crae today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Crae births was 1993 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Crae. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Crae. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1993
8 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
1993 SSA rank
#6,314
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Crae: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Crae by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Crae during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Crae
The name Crae is believed to have originated from the ancient Celtic culture, dating back to around the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "krātos," which means "power" or "strength." The name was primarily used by the Gaulish and Brittonic Celtic tribes who inhabited parts of what is now modern-day France, Britain, and Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Crae can be found in the ancient Welsh language, where it was spelled "Craì." This spelling variation is thought to have emerged around the 6th century CE and was likely influenced by the Middle Welsh language's pronunciation shifts.
In the 8th century CE, an Irish monk named Crae of Clonmacnoise was renowned for his scholarly work on the Latin language and his contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts. He is considered one of the earliest notable figures to bear the name Crae.
During the Middle Ages, the name Crae gained popularity among the Welsh nobility. One prominent figure was Crae ap Llywelyn, a 12th-century Welsh prince who played a significant role in the resistance against Norman rule in Wales.
In the 16th century, a Scottish warrior named Crae MacGregor was renowned for his bravery and leadership during the clan wars of that era. He is often mentioned in historical accounts of the time as a formidable adversary on the battlefield.
Another notable figure with the name Crae was the 17th-century English poet and playwright Crae Milton. Although not as famous as his cousin John Milton, Crae Milton's works were celebrated for their lyrical beauty and exploration of themes related to nature and the human condition.
In the 19th century, Crae Stevenson was a Scottish engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines and railway technology. His innovations played a crucial role in the industrial revolution and the advancement of transportation systems.
It is worth noting that while the name Crae has its roots in ancient Celtic cultures, it has been relatively uncommon throughout history. However, it has maintained a presence, particularly in regions with strong Celtic cultural ties, such as Wales, Scotland, and parts of Ireland.
People
Crae + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Crae as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Crae: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Crae?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Crae going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Crae a common name?
We classify Crae as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Crae most popular?
The single biggest year for Crae was 1993, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Crae is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Crae in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Crae a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Crae in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Crae still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Crae in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Crae can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Crae?
Want to know how many people have the name Crae? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.