Kreigh
Of Old English origin representing vigor, energy, or enthusiasm.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Kreigh. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kreigh today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kreigh births was 1987 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kreigh. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kreigh. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1987
7 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
1989 SSA rank
#6,621
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Kreigh: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kreigh 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 Kreigh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14 | 0 | 14 |
Geography
Where Kreighs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kreigh
The name Kreigh has its origins in ancient Germanic languages, with roots that can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "kraz", which means "bold" or "daring". The earliest known recorded use of the name dates back to the 6th century AD, during the height of the Germanic migrations across Europe.
In the medieval period, the name was particularly popular among the Frankish and Anglo-Saxon populations of what is now modern-day France, Germany, and England. It was often associated with warriors and nobility, as the qualities of boldness and courage were highly valued in those societies.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kreigh was a Frankish nobleman who lived in the late 7th century AD. Known as Kreigh of Austrasia, he played a significant role in the political intrigues and power struggles of the Merovingian dynasty.
In the 9th century, a monk named Kreigh the Scribe was renowned for his beautiful calligraphy and his work in preserving ancient manuscripts at the Abbey of St. Gall in modern-day Switzerland. His intricate penmanship and dedication to preserving knowledge earned him great respect among his contemporaries.
During the Crusades, a knight named Kreigh de Montfort gained fame for his bravery and skill in battle. He participated in several campaigns in the Holy Land and was known for his unwavering devotion to the Christian cause.
In the 14th century, a German poet and philosopher named Kreigh von Sternberg made significant contributions to the literary and intellectual life of his time. His works explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, and he was widely admired for his philosophical insights.
Another notable figure with the name Kreigh was a 16th-century English explorer named Kreigh Hawkins. He undertook several voyages to the Americas and the West Indies, and his accounts of his travels helped to expand the knowledge of the New World in Europe.
Throughout history, the name Kreigh has been associated with qualities such as bravery, courage, and a spirit of adventure. While its usage may have waxed and waned over the centuries, it remains a name with a rich and fascinating heritage, deeply rooted in the traditions and cultures of ancient Germanic peoples.
People
Kreigh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kreigh as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kreigh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kreigh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kreigh 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Kreigh a common name?
We classify Kreigh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 14 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kreigh most popular?
The single biggest year for Kreigh was 1987, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kreigh is about 39 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 Kreigh in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kreigh a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kreigh 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 Kreigh still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kreigh 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 Kreigh 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 common is the name Kreigh?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.