Griffen
A masculine name originating from Anglo-French meaning "strong lord."
Name Census estimates that about 1,765 living Americans carry the first name Griffen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Griffen today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Griffen births was 1999 (110 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Griffen. 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
1.8K
~ 1 in 194,195 Americans
Peak year
1999
110 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,727
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Griffen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Griffen from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 764 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Griffen 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 Griffen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Griffens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 15 states and territories. California, Michigan, Ohio recorded the most babies named Griffen, while Utah, Georgia, Massachusetts recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 25 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Griffen
The name Griffen is derived from the Old English word "griff," which means "griffin" – a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. This name has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain during the early medieval period.
The griffin was a popular symbol in ancient mythology, often representing strength, courage, and vigilance. The name Griffen was likely used to imbue these qualities in the bearer. It has also been suggested that the name may have been influenced by the Welsh word "gruffudd," which means "leader" or "commander."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Griffen can be found in the Domesday Book, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named Griffen in the county of Herefordshire.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Griffen. One of the most famous was Griffen ap Rees (c. 1165-1201), a Welsh prince and military leader who fought against the Norman invaders. Another notable figure was Griffen Jones (1683-1761), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote extensively on the history of Wales.
In the 16th century, Sir Griffen Markham (1530-1610) was an English statesman and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the colonization of Ireland and was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1598.
During the American Revolutionary War, Griffen Colver (1755-1838) served as a corporal in the Continental Army and participated in several major battles, including the Battle of Saratoga.
In more recent times, Griffen Rudolph (1897-1971) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played for the Toronto St. Patricks and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the early 20th century.
People
Griffen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Griffen 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
Griffen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Griffen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,765 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Griffen 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 194,195 US residents.
Is Griffen a common name?
We classify Griffen as "Rare". It ranks above 93.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,790 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Griffen most popular?
The single biggest year for Griffen was 1999, when 110 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Griffen is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Griffen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Griffen 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.