Griffyn
Of Welsh origin, a name derived from gryphon, a mythological creature.
Name Census estimates that about 504 living Americans carry the first name Griffyn. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 88.6% of registrations being male. The average person named Griffyn today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Griffyn births was 2020 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Griffyn. 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
504
~ 1 in 680,068 Americans
Peak year
2020
33 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,456
Tracked since 1997
Gender
Gender distribution for Griffyn
Griffyn leans heavily male at 88.6% of total registrations, but 58 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Griffyn as a male name
- Ranked #4,456 in 2024
- 23 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (29 births)
Griffyn as a female name
- Ranked #14,035 in 2020
- 6 female births in 2020
- Peak: 2015 (9 births)
Popularity
Griffyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Griffyn from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 241 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Griffyn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Griffyn 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 Griffyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Griffyn
The name Griffyn has its origins in the Welsh language, derived from the word "griff" meaning "strong" or "vigorous". It first emerged during the Middle Ages in Wales and surrounding regions of Britain. The spelling "Griffyn" is an anglicized form of the original Welsh name "Gruffudd".
In Welsh mythology and folklore, the griffin was a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. This powerful and regal symbolism likely contributed to the popularity of the name among the ancient Welsh nobility and ruling classes.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Griffyn can be found in the Welsh chronicle "Brut y Tywysogion" (Chronicle of the Princes), which mentions a ruler named Gruffudd ap Cynan (c. 1055–1137) who was a prominent figure in the struggle for Welsh independence against the Normans.
Throughout the medieval period, the name Griffyn was borne by several notable figures in Welsh history. One such figure was Gruffudd ap Rhys (c. 1090–1137), a prince of the Kingdom of Deheubarth in southwestern Wales who played a significant role in the conflicts between the Welsh and the Anglo-Normans.
In the 14th century, Griffyn Fychan (c. 1330–1369) was a Welsh soldier and landowner who fought alongside the Black Prince during the Hundred Years' War against the French. He is remembered for his bravery and military exploits during the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.
Moving forward in time, Griffyn Vaughan (c. 1575–1638) was a Welsh poet and translator who played a crucial role in the development of the Welsh literary tradition during the Renaissance period. His works helped to preserve and promote the Welsh language and cultural heritage.
Another notable figure was Griffyn ap Rees (c. 1620–1670), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious and historical topics. His works provide valuable insights into the social and cultural landscape of 17th-century Wales.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the name Griffyn, a name deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Wales and symbolizing strength, vigor, and nobility.
People
Griffyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Griffyn 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
Griffyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Griffyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 504 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Griffyn 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 680,068 US residents.
Is Griffyn a common name?
We classify Griffyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 508 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Griffyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Griffyn was 2020, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Griffyn is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Griffyn a male name?
Yes, 88.6% of people registered as Griffyn 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.