Grieg
A Scandinavian name derived from an Old Norse element meaning "descendant".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Grieg. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Grieg today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Grieg births was 1961 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Grieg. 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
- • The typical person named Grieg is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Griegs were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Grieg. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1961
5 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1961 SSA rank
#4,296
Tracked since 1961
Popularity
Grieg: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Grieg 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 Grieg during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Grieg
The name Grieg originates from the Old Norse language and is believed to have derived from the word "greyiðr," meaning "gray" or "old." This name has its roots in the Viking culture of Scandinavia, particularly in Norway, where it was commonly used during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Grieg can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which are historical narratives that date back to the 13th century. The name appears in the Sturlunga saga, a compilation of stories that recount the lives of influential Icelandic families during the 12th and 13th centuries.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Grieg. One of the most famous is Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), a renowned Norwegian composer and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in the Romantic era of classical music. His compositions, such as the "Peer Gynt Suite" and the "Piano Concerto in A minor," have become celebrated works in the Western classical repertoire.
Another historically significant person with the name Grieg was Joachim Grieg (1765-1842), a Norwegian landowner and politician who played a pivotal role in the formation of Norway's constitution and the country's independence from Denmark in 1814.
In the literary realm, Nordahl Grieg (1902-1943) was a prominent Norwegian poet, novelist, and journalist whose works often addressed themes of social justice and pacifism. He is particularly remembered for his poetry collection "Røde fane" (Red Flag), which became a symbol of resistance during the German occupation of Norway during World War II.
The name Grieg has also been present in the field of science. Roald Engelbregt Gravning Grieg (1888-1972) was a Norwegian botanist and explorer who made significant contributions to the study of Arctic flora. He led several expeditions to Svalbard and other Arctic regions, collecting and documenting plant specimens.
Another individual worth mentioning is Johan Grieg (1887-1957), a Norwegian businessman and shipowner who founded the shipping company Grieg Shipping Group, which remains a prominent maritime company in Norway to this day.
Throughout its history, the name Grieg has maintained a strong connection to its Scandinavian roots, particularly in Norway, where it continues to be a popular and respected name.
People
Grieg + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Grieg 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
Grieg: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Grieg?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Grieg 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Grieg a common name?
We classify Grieg as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Grieg most popular?
The single biggest year for Grieg was 1961, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Grieg is about 68 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 Grieg in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Grieg a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Grieg 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 Grieg still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Grieg 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 Grieg 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 are named Grieg?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.