Graig
From the Welsh word for "rock" or "crag".
Name Census estimates that about 1,199 living Americans carry the first name Graig. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Graig today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Graig births was 1979 (64 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Graig. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 285,867 Americans
Peak year
1979
64 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
2013 SSA rank
#11,203
Tracked since 1944
Popularity
Graig: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Graig from the 1940s through to the 2010s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 455 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Graig 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 Graig during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Graigs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. New York, California, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Graig, while Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 52 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Graig
The name Graig is a variant spelling of the name Craig, which has its origins in the Gaelic languages of Scotland and Ireland. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "creag," meaning "rock" or "crag." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who lived near rocky landscapes or in mountainous regions.
In Scottish history, the name Craig is closely associated with the Clan Gregor, a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional lands were located in the rugged and mountainous regions of Perthshire and Argyllshire. The name was particularly prevalent among members of this clan, and it is believed to have been adopted as a surname by many of its members.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Graig can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient Irish chronicle dating back to the 15th century. The annals mention a Scottish nobleman named "Graig mac Duibhne" who was involved in a conflict with the Irish in the year 1411.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Graig or its variant spellings. One of the most famous was Graig na Dun, a legendary Scottish warrior who is said to have defended the city of Dundee against Viking invaders in the 9th century. Although the historical accuracy of his exploits is debated, Graig na Dun has become a prominent figure in Scottish folklore.
Another notable figure was Graig MacLeod (1576-1652), a Scottish Protestant minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation. He was known for his fiery sermons and his staunch opposition to the interference of the English monarchy in the affairs of the Scottish Church.
In the literary world, Graig Raine (1944-2021) was a renowned English poet and academic who was widely celebrated for his works exploring themes of nature, spirituality, and the human condition. He was the recipient of numerous prestigious literary awards, including the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry.
In the realm of sports, Graig Stadler (born 1953) is a former professional golfer from the United States who won numerous prestigious tournaments, including the Masters in 1982. He was known for his distinctive "walrus" mustache and his affable personality on the golf course.
Finally, Graig Venter (born 1946) is an American biochemist and entrepreneur who is best known for his pioneering work in genomics and synthetic biology. He was the first person to sequence the human genome and has made significant contributions to the fields of biotechnology and genetic engineering.
While the name Graig may have evolved from its Gaelic roots, it has transcended its cultural origins and has been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds and nationalities throughout history, each leaving their own unique imprint on the world.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Graig
People
Graig + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Graig 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
Graig: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Graig?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,199 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Graig 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 285,867 US residents.
Is Graig a common name?
We classify Graig as "Rare". It ranks above 91.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,336 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Graig most popular?
The single biggest year for Graig was 1979, when 64 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Graig is about 51 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Graig a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Graig 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.