Griffith
Celtic name meaning "lord of vigor" or "son of the red-haired one".
Name Census estimates that about 1,081 living Americans carry the first name Griffith. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Griffith today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Griffith births was 1918 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Griffith. 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
1.1K
~ 1 in 317,072 Americans
Peak year
1918
26 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,106
Tracked since 1899
Popularity
Griffith: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Griffith from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 202 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Griffith remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Griffith 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 Griffith during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Griffiths live
Origin
Meaning and history of Griffith
The name Griffith has its origins in the Welsh language and culture. It is derived from the Welsh words "griff" meaning "vigor" or "strength" and "iaith" meaning "speech" or "language." The name can be interpreted as "strength of speech" or "vigorous language."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Griffith dates back to the 12th century. It was the name of Griffith ap Cynan, a Welsh prince and king of Gwynedd from 1081 to 1137. He was a prominent figure in the struggle against Norman rule in Wales and played a significant role in the preservation of Welsh culture and independence.
The name gained popularity in medieval England, particularly among the Welsh nobility. It was also adopted by some English families, likely due to its association with strength and power. Griffith ap Rees, a Welsh nobleman who lived in the 13th century, was known for his military exploits and leadership during the conflicts between the Welsh and the English.
In literature, the name Griffith appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales. One of the central characters in the story "Peredur son of Efrawg" is named Griffith. This work, dating back to the 12th or 13th century, provides insight into the cultural significance of the name during that time period.
Notable historical figures with the name Griffith include:
1. Griffith Jones (1683-1761), a Welsh cleric and educationalist who established circulating schools in Wales to promote literacy.
2. Griffith Williams (1589-1672), a Welsh writer and Anglican clergyman known for his work on Welsh grammar and literature.
3. Griffith Rhys Jones (1834-1897), a Welsh preacher and political activist who advocated for Welsh rights and education.
4. Griffith John (1831-1912), a Welsh missionary and translator who played a significant role in introducing Christianity to China.
5. Griffith J. Griffith (1850-1919), an industrialist and philanthropist who donated land that became Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California.
The name Griffith has a rich history rooted in Welsh culture and language. It has been associated with strength, vigor, and oratory skills throughout the centuries, and has been borne by notable figures who contributed to various fields, including religion, education, and literature.
People
Griffith + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Griffith 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
Griffith: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Griffith?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,081 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Griffith 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 317,072 US residents.
Is Griffith a common name?
We classify Griffith as "Rare". It ranks above 90.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,528 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Griffith most popular?
The single biggest year for Griffith was 1918, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Griffith is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Griffith a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Griffith 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.