Grae
A masculine name borrowed from the Scottish surname meaning "gray-haired".
Name Census estimates that about 314 living Americans carry the first name Grae. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 50.5% of registrations being male. The average person named Grae today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Grae births was 2019 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Grae. 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.
People living today
314
~ 1 in 1,091,574 Americans
Peak year
2019
27 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,529
Tracked since 1992
Gender
Gender distribution for Grae
Grae is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 317 total registrations, 160 (50.5%) were male and 157 (49.5%) were female.
Grae as a male name
- Ranked #8,529 in 2024
- 9 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (18 births)
Grae as a female name
- Ranked #12,579 in 2024
- 7 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2018 (16 births)
Popularity
Grae: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Grae from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 154 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Grae remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Grae 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 Grae during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Graes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Grae
The name Grae has its origins in the Gaelic language, which is spoken primarily in Scotland and Ireland. It is derived from the word "gràdh," which means "love" or "affection." The name has been in use since the early medieval period, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 7th century.
One of the earliest known references to the name Grae can be found in the Gaelic manuscript known as the Book of Leinster, which dates back to the 12th century. This medieval Irish text contains tales and legends of the ancient kings and heroes of Ireland, and it is possible that the name was used for one of the characters or individuals mentioned in these stories.
Throughout the centuries, the name Grae has been associated with several notable figures in Scottish and Irish history. One of the most famous was Grae Dhu, a legendary Scottish warrior who lived in the 14th century and was known for his bravery and skill in battle. Another prominent figure was Grae O'Neill, an Irish chieftain who led a rebellion against English rule in the 16th century.
In the 18th century, the name Grae gained popularity among the Scottish Highlanders, with several clan leaders and warriors bearing the name. One such individual was Grae MacGregor, a notable figure in the Jacobite risings of the 1740s, who fought alongside the famous Bonnie Prince Charlie in the quest to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British throne.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Grae was also used by several literary figures and artists. One notable example was Grae Elliot, a Scottish painter and illustrator who was renowned for his depictions of Highland landscapes and scenes from Scottish history. Another was Grae Stevenson, a Scottish poet and novelist who wrote extensively about the culture and traditions of the Highlands.
In more recent times, the name Grae has been carried by several individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields. One such person was Grae MacLeod, a Scottish inventor and engineer who played a key role in the development of radar technology during World War II. Another was Grae Campbell, a renowned Scottish golfer who won several major tournaments in the 1950s and 1960s.
People
Grae + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Grae as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Grae: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Grae?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 314 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Grae 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 1,091,574 US residents.
Is Grae a common name?
We classify Grae as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 317 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Grae most popular?
The single biggest year for Grae was 2019, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Grae is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Grae a male name?
Yes, 50.5% of people registered as Grae 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.
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.