Graidy
A feminine name possibly meaning "gradual" or "gaining strength gradually".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Graidy. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Graidy today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Graidy births was 2011 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Graidy. 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 Graidy. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2011
6 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2011 SSA rank
#11,316
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Graidy: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Graidy from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Graidy 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 Graidy during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Graidy
The given name Graidy has its origins in the ancient Celtic language, tracing back to the 5th century AD. It is derived from the Old Celtic word "graidh," which means "beloved" or "cherished." The name was particularly popular among the Celtic tribes that inhabited the British Isles and parts of modern-day France.
In the early medieval period, the name Graidy gained prominence in Ireland, where it was often associated with Irish saints and scholars. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 7th-century Annals of Ulster, where a scribe named Graidy mac Fionnchú is mentioned.
During the Viking Age, the name Graidy spread to other parts of Europe, particularly in regions where the Norse settlers interacted with Celtic populations. In the 9th century, a Viking chieftain named Graidy Haraldsson is recorded in the Icelandic sagas, suggesting the name's adoption by Scandinavian cultures.
In the 12th century, a renowned Welsh poet and scholar named Graidy ap Gwilym gained recognition for his contributions to the Welsh literary tradition. His works, which celebrated the beauty of nature and the virtues of love, are considered among the finest examples of medieval Welsh poetry.
The name Graidy also found its way into the annals of Scottish history. In the 15th century, a Scottish nobleman named Graidy MacLeod played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.
During the Renaissance period, the name Graidy resurfaced in various European contexts. In the 16th century, an Italian artist named Graidy Gentileschi gained fame for her exceptional artistic talents and her role in advancing the Baroque style of painting.
As the centuries passed, the name Graidy remained in use, although its popularity waxed and waned in different regions. In the 19th century, a notable figure was Graidy O'Malley, an Irish politician and journalist who advocated for Irish independence and played a significant role in the Irish nationalist movement.
People
Graidy + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Graidy 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
Graidy: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Graidy?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Graidy 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Graidy a common name?
We classify Graidy as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Graidy most popular?
The single biggest year for Graidy was 2011, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Graidy is about 16 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 Graidy in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Graidy a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Graidy 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 Graidy still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Graidy 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 Graidy 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 Americans are named Graidy?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.