Fun Facts About the Name Craig
- An established favorite: Craig held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 42 consecutive years, from 1947 through 1988.
- More than 300 thousand babies named Craig: U.S. records list 300,636 babies given the name Craig from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,012 girls received the name Craig - about 1 girl for every 296 boys.
What Does the Name Craig Mean?
Craig is a Scottish name derived from Scottish Gaelic creag, meaning "rock" or "crag." The word refers to a rocky outcrop or cliff, so the surname Craig began as a topographic name for someone who lived near such a feature. The given name is a transferred use of that surname. The literal sense is a landscape term, not a description of character.
Craig Name History & Origins
Scottish Gaelic creag is the earlier word behind the English form Craig; it appears in many Scottish place names. The surname Craig developed in Scotland from this landscape term. It is found in Scottish records as a surname rather than as a patronymic. From Scotland the surname spread to Ireland, England, and later to other English-speaking countries. As a given name, Craig was adopted from the surname, a pattern common in Scotland and later in the wider English-speaking world. It is now used as a masculine given name in Britain, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
How Popular is the Name Craig?
Craig remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1947 to 1988. Its highest annual birth count was in 1960, and people born that year turn 66 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #13,976 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #13,893 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #13,745 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #11,827 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #6,194 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #6,628 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #3,915 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1987 | #3,540 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1986 | #3,780 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1985 | #4,162 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1984 | #3,246 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1983 | #2,995 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 1982 | #4,050 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1981 | #3,356 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1980 | #4,362 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1979 | #3,689 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1978 | #4,106 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1977 | #3,015 | 26 | 0.0017% |
| 1976 | #2,807 | 27 | 0.0018% |
| 1975 | #4,397 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1974 | #3,228 | 21 | 0.0014% |
| 1973 | #2,416 | 31 | 0.0021% |
| 1972 | #2,028 | 39 | 0.0026% |
| 1971 | #2,257 | 35 | 0.0021% |
| 1970 | #1,879 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1969 | #2,261 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1968 | #1,943 | 38 | 0.0023% |
| 1967 | #2,332 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1966 | #2,413 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1965 | #2,852 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1964 | #2,839 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1963 | #2,795 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1962 | #2,320 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1961 | #2,482 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1960 | #2,754 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1959 | #2,161 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1958 | #2,591 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1957 | #2,428 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1956 | #4,222 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1955 | #2,565 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1954 | #4,349 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #3,518 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #2,510 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1951 | #2,834 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1950 | #3,095 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1949 | #3,225 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1948 | #3,397 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1947 | #3,093 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1946 | #3,463 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1945 | #3,736 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #3,878 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1942 | #4,751 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1920 | #5,140 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1918 | #4,982 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,644 | 102 | 0.0060% |
| 2024 | #1,831 | 88 | 0.0051% |
| 2023 | #1,537 | 114 | 0.0067% |
| 2022 | #1,498 | 121 | 0.0069% |
| 2021 | #1,442 | 125 | 0.0072% |
| 2020 | #1,245 | 149 | 0.0086% |
| 2019 | #1,013 | 205 | 0.0114% |
| 2018 | #1,180 | 161 | 0.0089% |
| 2017 | #982 | 209 | 0.0113% |
| 2016 | #909 | 237 | 0.0125% |
| 2015 | #912 | 236 | 0.0123% |
| 2014 | #931 | 228 | 0.0119% |
| 2013 | #814 | 268 | 0.0142% |
| 2012 | #778 | 291 | 0.0153% |
| 2011 | #806 | 272 | 0.0143% |
| 2010 | #664 | 362 | 0.0189% |
| 2009 | #667 | 367 | 0.0185% |
| 2008 | #589 | 428 | 0.0210% |
| 2007 | #546 | 471 | 0.0227% |
| 2006 | #547 | 463 | 0.0225% |
| 2005 | #491 | 504 | 0.0252% |
| 2004 | #479 | 523 | 0.0264% |
| 2003 | #424 | 607 | 0.0307% |
| 2002 | #379 | 689 | 0.0355% |
| 2001 | #381 | 682 | 0.0351% |
| 2000 | #340 | 808 | 0.0411% |
| 1999 | #326 | 854 | 0.0445% |
| 1998 | #315 | 880 | 0.0460% |
| 1997 | #257 | 1,098 | 0.0582% |
| 1996 | #247 | 1,198 | 0.0632% |
| 1995 | #219 | 1,355 | 0.0712% |
| 1994 | #198 | 1,507 | 0.0780% |
| 1993 | #175 | 1,837 | 0.0937% |
| 1992 | #154 | 2,070 | 0.1036% |
| 1991 | #135 | 2,399 | 0.1187% |
| 1990 | #117 | 2,907 | 0.1415% |
| 1989 | #105 | 3,156 | 0.1577% |
| 1988 | #97 | 3,306 | 0.1727% |
| 1987 | #88 | 3,364 | 0.1802% |
| 1986 | #80 | 3,926 | 0.2132% |
| 1985 | #79 | 3,954 | 0.2139% |
| 1984 | #75 | 3,959 | 0.2193% |
| 1983 | #70 | 4,085 | 0.2279% |
| 1982 | #73 | 4,022 | 0.2216% |
| 1981 | #72 | 4,095 | 0.2286% |
| 1980 | #73 | 4,235 | 0.2374% |
| 1979 | #77 | 4,028 | 0.2340% |
| 1978 | #66 | 4,473 | 0.2724% |
| 1977 | #64 | 4,561 | 0.2775% |
| 1976 | #61 | 4,732 | 0.3016% |
| 1975 | #58 | 5,112 | 0.3274% |
| 1974 | #57 | 5,539 | 0.3523% |
| 1973 | #48 | 6,294 | 0.4038% |
| 1972 | #46 | 6,731 | 0.4150% |
| 1971 | #43 | 7,958 | 0.4500% |
| 1970 | #39 | 9,367 | 0.5040% |
| 1969 | #39 | 8,783 | 0.4911% |
| 1968 | #41 | 7,862 | 0.4523% |
| 1967 | #46 | 7,310 | 0.4192% |
| 1966 | #46 | 7,733 | 0.4336% |
| 1965 | #46 | 7,876 | 0.4234% |
| 1964 | #48 | 7,751 | 0.3890% |
| 1963 | #51 | 7,895 | 0.3888% |
| 1962 | #51 | 8,548 | 0.4132% |
| 1961 | #43 | 10,233 | 0.4818% |
| 1960 | #41 | 10,720 | 0.5028% |
| 1959 | #44 | 9,932 | 0.4653% |
| 1958 | #53 | 7,272 | 0.3426% |
| 1957 | #55 | 7,069 | 0.3277% |
| 1956 | #51 | 7,422 | 0.3509% |
| 1955 | #50 | 7,447 | 0.3615% |
| 1954 | #51 | 7,180 | 0.3522% |
| 1953 | #60 | 6,460 | 0.3275% |
| 1952 | #59 | 6,187 | 0.3183% |
| 1951 | #63 | 5,623 | 0.2986% |
| 1950 | #69 | 4,888 | 0.2730% |
| 1949 | #77 | 4,327 | 0.2439% |
| 1948 | #82 | 3,986 | 0.2272% |
| 1947 | #93 | 3,640 | 0.1990% |
| 1946 | #108 | 2,471 | 0.1522% |
| 1945 | #134 | 1,597 | 0.1187% |
| 1944 | #151 | 1,321 | 0.0969% |
| 1943 | #164 | 1,132 | 0.0793% |
| 1942 | #175 | 892 | 0.0646% |
| 1941 | #236 | 539 | 0.0439% |
| 1940 | #285 | 384 | 0.0331% |
| 1939 | #300 | 348 | 0.0314% |
| 1938 | #307 | 321 | 0.0289% |
| 1937 | #297 | 330 | 0.0309% |
| 1936 | #384 | 205 | 0.0198% |
| 1935 | #430 | 170 | 0.0163% |
| 1934 | #487 | 138 | 0.0134% |
| 1933 | #541 | 111 | 0.0112% |
| 1932 | #576 | 106 | 0.0102% |
| 1931 | #555 | 112 | 0.0108% |
| 1930 | #585 | 105 | 0.0096% |
| 1929 | #580 | 106 | 0.0099% |
| 1928 | #687 | 85 | 0.0077% |
| 1927 | #620 | 102 | 0.0091% |
| 1926 | #713 | 80 | 0.0072% |
| 1925 | #645 | 97 | 0.0087% |
| 1924 | #705 | 87 | 0.0077% |
| 1923 | #596 | 112 | 0.0102% |
| 1922 | #730 | 81 | 0.0074% |
| 1921 | #738 | 80 | 0.0073% |
| 1920 | #746 | 77 | 0.0072% |
| 1919 | #880 | 57 | 0.0058% |
| 1918 | #653 | 89 | 0.0088% |
| 1917 | #833 | 59 | 0.0064% |
| 1916 | #825 | 57 | 0.0064% |
| 1915 | #684 | 72 | 0.0085% |
| 1914 | #886 | 38 | 0.0058% |
| 1913 | #782 | 37 | 0.0072% |
| 1912 | #883 | 26 | 0.0060% |
| 1911 | #1,057 | 11 | 0.0049% |
| 1910 | #1,224 | 8 | 0.0041% |
| 1909 | #852 | 12 | 0.0073% |
| 1908 | #895 | 10 | 0.0065% |
| 1907 | #1,017 | 8 | 0.0054% |
| 1906 | #596 | 16 | 0.0120% |
| 1904 | #1,248 | 5 | 0.0039% |
| 1903 | #926 | 7 | 0.0059% |
| 1902 | #1,181 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1901 | #974 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1900 | #918 | 9 | 0.0060% |
| 1899 | #1,084 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1896 | #1,132 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1894 | #801 | 8 | 0.0069% |
| 1892 | #1,102 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1890 | #823 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1888 | #834 | 7 | 0.0058% |
| 1886 | #998 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1881 | #896 | 5 | 0.0050% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Craig
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Craig Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Craig's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Craig's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.