Graham
Graham was the 120th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,967 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 56 places. More babies were named Graham in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning gravel homestead (from Grantham) · Old English, Scottish
Say it GRAY-uhm /ˈɡreɪəm/
- Rank in 2025
- #120 boys, up 66 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,967boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20252,967 babies
- Total since 1880
- 61,671babies recorded
What does the name Graham mean?
Graham is a Scottish surname that comes from the English town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, whose name appears as Grantham and Graham in the Domesday Book. Wiktionary derives the place name from Old English grand, 'gravel', and ham, 'homestead'. Wikipedia adds that Sir William de Graham took the surname from England to Scotland in the 12th century and founded Clan Graham. As a first name it is English and Scottish, and Graeme and Grahame are variant spellings.
*grand (Old English, “gravel”)hām (Old English, “homestead, village”)
How sure is this? Probable. The Grantham origin is standard; the 'gravel' first element is a reconstructed Old English word.
Related names: Graeme, Grahame.
See also: English names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Graham', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Graham (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Graham popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 235 since 1915, 13 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #120 | 2,967 |
| 2020 | #186 | 2,095 |
| 2010 | #284 | 1,189 |
| 2000 | #405 | 618 |
| 1990 | #396 | 586 |
| 1980 | #385 | 445 |
| 1970 | #613 | 175 |
| 1960 | #792 | 94 |
| 1950 | #697 | 97 |
| 1940 | #649 | 86 |
| 1930 | #607 | 102 |
| 1920 | #606 | 108 |
| 1910 | #559 | 26 |
| 1900 | #658 | 15 |
| 1890 | #1,060 | 5 |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Graham, counting every spelling?
Graham has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #125 for boys in 2025, against #120 on the official list, because Kayden/Kaiden/Caden and Elliot/Elliott/Eliot and Kayson/Kaison/Kaysen move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Graham?
2,967 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Graham (0.82 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Graham born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 3 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Graham.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Graham?
About 56,300 people born in the US named Graham are alive today, with a median age of 13; half are between 6 and 27. That makes Graham mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Graham by state
How common Graham was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in District of Columbia (3.2×), North Dakota (3.1×), South Dakota (3.1×), Wisconsin (2.5×), Minnesota (2.5×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Mexico, Nevada, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Graham: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Graham, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Graham · Sibling names for Graham
Questions about the name Graham
What does Graham mean?
Graham means “gravel homestead (from Grantham)” (Old English, Scottish origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Graham?
Graham was the 120th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,967 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 56 places. More babies were named Graham in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Graham a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Graham in the US.
Where is Graham most popular?
In 2021–2025, Graham was most common in District of Columbia (4.81 per 1,000 boys), followed by North Dakota and South Dakota.