Griffin
Griffin was the 222nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,627 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 214th with 1,728 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 14 places. More babies were named Griffin in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning prince (from Welsh Gruffudd) · Welsh, Irish
Say it GRIF-in /ˈɡrɪfɪn/
- Rank in 2025
- #222 boys, up 19 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,627boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20231,728 babies
- Total since 1880
- 51,809babies recorded
What does the name Griffin mean?
Griffin comes from Griffinus, a medieval Latin form of the Welsh name Gruffudd (Griffith); Wiktionary and Wikipedia agree. Wikipedia traces Gruffudd to Old Welsh Grippiud and glosses it 'prince'. Wiktionary also notes an Irish surname Griffin, an English form of Ó Gríobhtha. The name looks like griffin, the mythical beast with an eagle's head and a lion's body, and some families choose it with that image in mind.
Gruffudd (Welsh, “Griffith”)Grippiud (Old Welsh, “prince (per Wikipedia)”)
How sure is this? Probable. The Welsh source is clear; the 'prince' gloss of Gruffudd comes from one source.
Related names: Griffith, Gruffudd, Griff, Gryffin.
See also: Welsh names, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Griffin', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Griffin (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Griffin
The usual nicknames for Griffin are Griff.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griff | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Griffins go by each one.
Griffin popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 758 since 1979, 21 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #222 | 1,627 |
| 2020 | #241 | 1,492 |
| 2010 | #232 | 1,517 |
| 2000 | #233 | 1,468 |
| 1990 | #604 | 277 |
| 1980 | #1,191 | 59 |
| 1970 | #2,436 | 15 |
| 1960 | #2,364 | 13 |
| 1950 | #2,065 | 14 |
| 1940 | #1,708 | 17 |
| 1930 | #2,228 | 13 |
| 1920 | #1,563 | 24 |
| 1910 | #1,250 | 8 |
| 1900 | #1,093 | 7 |
| 1890 | #839 | 7 |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Griffin, counting every spelling?
Griffin is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #225 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #222 for Griffin on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,746 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griffin | 1,627 | #222 | 8,104 |
| Gryffin | 63 | #2,239 | 383 |
| Griffen | 17 | #5,465 | 127 |
| Griffyn | 18 | #5,281 | 115 |
| Gryphon | 21 | #4,762 | 89 |
| Griffon | — | — | 25 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Griffin?
1,627 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Griffin (0.45 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Griffin 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 5 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Griffin.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Griffin?
About 49,400 people born in the US named Griffin are alive today, with a median age of 16; half are between 8 and 25. That makes Griffin 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.
Griffin by state
How common Griffin was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Vermont (6.5×), New Hampshire (4.1×), North Dakota (3.9×), Maine (3.8×), Minnesota (2.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Mexico, Hawaii, Delaware.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Griffin: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Griffin, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Griffin · Sibling names for Griffin
Questions about the name Griffin
What does Griffin mean?
Griffin means “prince (from Welsh Gruffudd)” (Welsh, Irish origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Griffin?
Griffin was the 222nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,627 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 214th with 1,728 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 14 places. More babies were named Griffin in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Griffin a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Griffin in the US.
Where is Griffin most popular?
In 2021–2025, Griffin was most common in Vermont (6.05 per 1,000 boys), followed by New Hampshire and North Dakota.