Traigh
A Scottish Gaelic name meaning "beach" or "shore".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Traigh. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Traigh today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Traigh births was 2010 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Traigh. 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 Traigh. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
2010
7 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2011 SSA rank
#10,677
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Traigh: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Traigh 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 Traigh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14 | 0 | 14 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Traigh
The name Traigh is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "tràigh," which means "shore" or "beach." This name has its roots in the ancient Celtic languages spoken by the people who inhabited the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The earliest records of this name date back to the medieval period, around the 13th century.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Traigh was Traigh MacLeod, a Scottish warrior who lived in the late 14th century. He was a member of the powerful Clan MacLeod and is said to have fought bravely in the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, where he lost his life defending his clan's lands.
In the 16th century, Traigh MacKenzie was a renowned Scottish poet and bard. Born in 1550 on the Isle of Lewis, he composed many works that celebrated the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands and Islands, often drawing inspiration from the rugged coastlines and sandy beaches that inspired his name.
Another notable figure with the name Traigh was Traigh MacKinnon, a Scottish minister and scholar who lived in the late 17th century. Born in 1665 on the Isle of Skye, he was known for his extensive knowledge of Gaelic literature and his efforts to preserve the language and culture of the Scottish Highlands.
In the 19th century, Traigh MacDonald was a prominent Scottish businessman and philanthropist. Born in 1820 on the Isle of Islay, he made his fortune in the whisky industry and used his wealth to support various charitable causes, including the construction of schools and hospitals in his native Hebrides Islands.
Lastly, Traigh MacLean was a Scottish artist and painter who lived in the early 20th century. Born in 1890 on the Isle of Mull, he was renowned for his vivid landscapes and seascapes that captured the rugged beauty of the Scottish coastline, often featuring the sandy beaches and rocky shores that gave rise to his distinctive name.
People
Traigh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Traigh as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Traigh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Traigh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Traigh 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Traigh a common name?
We classify Traigh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% 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 Traigh most popular?
The single biggest year for Traigh was 2010, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Traigh is about 15 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 Traigh in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Traigh a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Traigh 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 Traigh still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Traigh 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 Traigh 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 have Traigh as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Traigh on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.