Fun Facts About the Name Graham
- More than 61 thousand babies named Graham: U.S. records list 61,661 babies given the name Graham from 1880 through 2025. Even 235 girls received the name Graham - about 1 girl for every 261 boys.
What Does the Name Graham Mean?
Graham is a masculine given name of English and Scottish origin, taken from the Scottish surname Graham. The surname is a habitational name from Grantham in Lincolnshire, England. The place name is usually explained as Old English grand 'gravel' + hām 'homestead, village,' giving the customary meaning 'gravelly homestead.' Some explanations instead connect the first element with Old English grǣg 'grey' or grēne 'green,' so the exact sense of the place name is not certain. The given name inherits the surname's meaning rather than having a separate root.
Graham Name History & Origins
The surname Graham is documented in Scotland in the 12th century. William de Graham witnessed charters of King David I and received lands in Midlothian, including Dalkeith and Abercorn. His descendants became prominent in Scottish affairs and were known as Clan Graham. The surname was also spelled Grahame. It spread from Scotland into England and later to other English-speaking countries. As a given name, Graham is a transferred use of the surname. It is distinct from the Lincolnshire place name Grantham, from which the surname is generally derived. Later bearers include James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, a Scottish commander in the 17th century, and Billy Graham, the American evangelist.
How Popular is the Name Graham?
Graham recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #120 in 2025.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,034 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #9,111 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2023 | #7,037 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2022 | #8,713 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #9,816 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #12,605 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #12,912 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #14,428 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #9,540 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #8,562 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #10,388 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #10,422 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #12,397 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #11,599 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #13,856 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #14,362 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #18,597 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #14,790 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #14,202 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #16,205 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #13,004 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #14,536 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #12,299 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #14,278 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #13,733 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #9,716 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #9,425 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #9,485 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #6,508 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1915 | #4,556 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #120 | 2,967 | 0.1737% |
| 2024 | #129 | 2,789 | 0.1626% |
| 2023 | #141 | 2,537 | 0.1485% |
| 2022 | #155 | 2,400 | 0.1376% |
| 2021 | #161 | 2,381 | 0.1362% |
| 2020 | #186 | 2,095 | 0.1214% |
| 2019 | #180 | 2,156 | 0.1202% |
| 2018 | #182 | 2,174 | 0.1197% |
| 2017 | #185 | 2,111 | 0.1141% |
| 2016 | #179 | 2,247 | 0.1184% |
| 2015 | #176 | 2,378 | 0.1241% |
| 2014 | #199 | 2,039 | 0.1062% |
| 2013 | #203 | 1,883 | 0.0996% |
| 2012 | #215 | 1,715 | 0.0904% |
| 2011 | #256 | 1,356 | 0.0714% |
| 2010 | #284 | 1,189 | 0.0620% |
| 2009 | #263 | 1,328 | 0.0670% |
| 2008 | #322 | 1,031 | 0.0505% |
| 2007 | #382 | 798 | 0.0385% |
| 2006 | #430 | 649 | 0.0316% |
| 2005 | #408 | 670 | 0.0335% |
| 2004 | #423 | 617 | 0.0311% |
| 2003 | #396 | 662 | 0.0335% |
| 2002 | #408 | 619 | 0.0319% |
| 2001 | #398 | 631 | 0.0325% |
| 2000 | #405 | 618 | 0.0315% |
| 1999 | #405 | 598 | 0.0311% |
| 1998 | #405 | 600 | 0.0314% |
| 1997 | #418 | 554 | 0.0294% |
| 1996 | #405 | 577 | 0.0305% |
| 1995 | #374 | 633 | 0.0333% |
| 1994 | #394 | 589 | 0.0305% |
| 1993 | #352 | 668 | 0.0341% |
| 1992 | #403 | 571 | 0.0286% |
| 1991 | #369 | 629 | 0.0311% |
| 1990 | #395 | 587 | 0.0286% |
| 1989 | #417 | 499 | 0.0249% |
| 1988 | #407 | 488 | 0.0255% |
| 1987 | #398 | 476 | 0.0255% |
| 1986 | #339 | 564 | 0.0306% |
| 1985 | #353 | 521 | 0.0282% |
| 1984 | #353 | 518 | 0.0287% |
| 1983 | #345 | 525 | 0.0293% |
| 1982 | #369 | 474 | 0.0261% |
| 1981 | #382 | 449 | 0.0251% |
| 1980 | #386 | 445 | 0.0249% |
| 1979 | #416 | 366 | 0.0213% |
| 1978 | #466 | 298 | 0.0181% |
| 1977 | #532 | 249 | 0.0152% |
| 1976 | #508 | 248 | 0.0158% |
| 1975 | #527 | 233 | 0.0149% |
| 1974 | #583 | 186 | 0.0118% |
| 1973 | #594 | 175 | 0.0112% |
| 1972 | #572 | 194 | 0.0120% |
| 1971 | #570 | 205 | 0.0116% |
| 1970 | #613 | 175 | 0.0094% |
| 1969 | #615 | 161 | 0.0090% |
| 1968 | #718 | 110 | 0.0063% |
| 1967 | #722 | 106 | 0.0061% |
| 1966 | #729 | 103 | 0.0058% |
| 1965 | #791 | 88 | 0.0047% |
| 1964 | #766 | 99 | 0.0050% |
| 1963 | #732 | 114 | 0.0056% |
| 1962 | #739 | 108 | 0.0052% |
| 1961 | #732 | 111 | 0.0052% |
| 1960 | #792 | 94 | 0.0044% |
| 1959 | #728 | 111 | 0.0052% |
| 1958 | #719 | 107 | 0.0050% |
| 1957 | #770 | 96 | 0.0045% |
| 1956 | #751 | 96 | 0.0045% |
| 1955 | #814 | 81 | 0.0039% |
| 1954 | #747 | 92 | 0.0045% |
| 1953 | #747 | 92 | 0.0047% |
| 1952 | #729 | 93 | 0.0048% |
| 1951 | #678 | 106 | 0.0056% |
| 1950 | #697 | 97 | 0.0054% |
| 1949 | #682 | 101 | 0.0057% |
| 1948 | #694 | 93 | 0.0053% |
| 1947 | #653 | 112 | 0.0061% |
| 1946 | #645 | 100 | 0.0062% |
| 1945 | #686 | 78 | 0.0058% |
| 1944 | #619 | 99 | 0.0073% |
| 1943 | #666 | 93 | 0.0065% |
| 1942 | #637 | 100 | 0.0072% |
| 1941 | #591 | 101 | 0.0082% |
| 1940 | #649 | 86 | 0.0074% |
| 1939 | #640 | 86 | 0.0078% |
| 1938 | #547 | 112 | 0.0101% |
| 1937 | #571 | 102 | 0.0096% |
| 1936 | #595 | 95 | 0.0092% |
| 1935 | #538 | 116 | 0.0111% |
| 1934 | #564 | 110 | 0.0107% |
| 1933 | #580 | 100 | 0.0101% |
| 1932 | #557 | 113 | 0.0108% |
| 1931 | #585 | 100 | 0.0096% |
| 1930 | #607 | 102 | 0.0093% |
| 1929 | #582 | 106 | 0.0099% |
| 1928 | #569 | 117 | 0.0106% |
| 1927 | #654 | 94 | 0.0083% |
| 1926 | #623 | 101 | 0.0091% |
| 1925 | #657 | 95 | 0.0085% |
| 1924 | #687 | 90 | 0.0079% |
| 1923 | #580 | 117 | 0.0107% |
| 1922 | #631 | 105 | 0.0096% |
| 1921 | #550 | 129 | 0.0117% |
| 1920 | #606 | 108 | 0.0101% |
| 1919 | #630 | 93 | 0.0095% |
| 1918 | #676 | 85 | 0.0084% |
| 1917 | #617 | 92 | 0.0099% |
| 1916 | #547 | 109 | 0.0122% |
| 1915 | #572 | 98 | 0.0115% |
| 1914 | #610 | 68 | 0.0104% |
| 1913 | #606 | 53 | 0.0103% |
| 1912 | #586 | 48 | 0.0112% |
| 1911 | #580 | 28 | 0.0124% |
| 1910 | #559 | 26 | 0.0134% |
| 1909 | #627 | 19 | 0.0116% |
| 1908 | #619 | 18 | 0.0117% |
| 1907 | #623 | 17 | 0.0116% |
| 1906 | #726 | 12 | 0.0090% |
| 1905 | #721 | 12 | 0.0091% |
| 1904 | #704 | 12 | 0.0094% |
| 1903 | #631 | 13 | 0.0109% |
| 1902 | #885 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1900 | #658 | 15 | 0.0100% |
| 1899 | #1,109 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1898 | #715 | 10 | 0.0082% |
| 1897 | #886 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1895 | #567 | 14 | 0.0119% |
| 1894 | #604 | 12 | 0.0104% |
| 1893 | #954 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1892 | #583 | 13 | 0.0107% |
| 1891 | #802 | 7 | 0.0069% |
| 1890 | #1,060 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1889 | #837 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1888 | #778 | 8 | 0.0066% |
| 1887 | #651 | 9 | 0.0089% |
| 1886 | #794 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1885 | #997 | 5 | 0.0046% |
| 1884 | #900 | 6 | 0.0052% |
| 1883 | #759 | 7 | 0.0067% |
| 1882 | #790 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1881 | #925 | 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.
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How the Name Graham Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Graham's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Graham's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.