Greydis
A feminine name of unknown origin and meaning, possibly derived from "grey" and "dis".
Name Census estimates that about 179 living Americans carry the first name Greydis. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Greydis today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Greydis births was 2009 (100 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Greydis. 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
179
~ 1 in 1,914,829 Americans
Peak year
2009
100 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2014 SSA rank
#15,268
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Greydis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Greydis from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 100 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
Greydis 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 Greydis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Greydis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Greydis, while New York, North Carolina, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Greydis
The name Greydis is a relatively uncommon given name with a rich and fascinating history. Its origins can be traced back to the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Vikings and other Scandinavian peoples during the medieval period.
Greydis is believed to be derived from the Old Norse words "greyð" and "dis," which together mean "grey goddess" or "grey lady." This suggests that the name may have been associated with Norse mythology and the worship of female deities or spirits.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Greydis can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which are historical narratives that recount the lives and adventures of Norse settlers in Iceland during the 9th and 10th centuries. In the Eiríks saga rauða, or the Saga of Erik the Red, a woman named Greydis Eiriksdottir is mentioned as the daughter of Erik the Red, the famous Norse explorer who is credited with establishing the first European settlement in Greenland.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Greydis appears to have been used primarily in Scandinavian countries, particularly Iceland and Norway. One notable bearer of the name was Greydis Borgardottir (born around 1170), an Icelandic noblewoman who played a significant role in the Sturlung Age, a period of civil conflict in Iceland during the 13th century.
As the Vikings expanded their influence throughout Europe, the name Greydis may have spread to other regions, although it remained relatively uncommon. In the 17th century, a woman named Greydis Jonsdotter (born around 1620) was recorded as living in Östergötland, Sweden.
Another notable figure with the name Greydis was Greydis Sivertsdatter Bredal (1670-1746), a Norwegian woman who was accused of witchcraft and executed during the Scandinavian witch trials of the late 17th century.
In more recent times, the name Greydis has remained relatively rare, although it has been used occasionally in Scandinavian countries and among communities of Scandinavian descent. One example is Greydis Hjördís Egilsdóttir (born in 1945), an Icelandic author and journalist.
While the name Greydis is not commonly found in modern times, its rich history and connection to Norse mythology and culture make it a unique and intriguing choice for those seeking a name with a strong sense of heritage and tradition.
People
Greydis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Greydis 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
Greydis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Greydis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 179 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Greydis 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 1,914,829 US residents.
Is Greydis a common name?
We classify Greydis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 181 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Greydis most popular?
The single biggest year for Greydis was 2009, when 100 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Greydis 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 Greydis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Greydis a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Greydis in the SSA data are female. 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 Greydis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Greydis 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 Greydis 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 Greydis?
Want to know how many people share the name Greydis? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.