Graham Name Meaning

The meaning of the name Graham is “gravelled homestead”, which reflects the origin of the name in the place name from Scotland. It is often associated with strength, courage, and loyalty, which is likely due to the Graham family’s influence in Scotland.

Origins of the Name Graham

The name Graham has its origins in Scotland and is thought to come from a place name in the south of Scotland. The place name was derived from the Old English words for “gravelly homestead”. The name was then given to members of the Graham family, who were a powerful and influential family in Scotland in the Middle Ages.

Popularity of the Name Graham

The name Graham has been popular in English-speaking countries for centuries. It is particularly popular in Scotland, where it remains in the top 10 most popular names for boys. It is also popular in the United States, where it was in the top 200 most popular names for boys in 2019.

There are a few reasons why the name Graham has remained so popular over the centuries. Firstly, it has a long and rich history, which gives it a sense of legacy and makes it appealing to many people. Secondly, its meaning is associated with strength, courage, and loyalty, which are qualities that many people want to attribute to their children. Finally, its popularity in Scotland makes it a great choice for those with Scottish heritage.

Final Thoughts on the Name Graham

The name Graham has been popular in English-speaking countries for centuries and has a long, rich history. It originates from Scotland and has a meaning of “gravelly homestead”. It is particularly popular in Scotland and the United States, and its popularity is likely due to its historical legacy, its meaning, and its popularity in Scotland.

Infographic of Graham name meaning, which is Meaning gravelled homestead, Graham is an English name.
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Graham Name Popularity

How popular is the name Graham? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 508 8 0.0023%
1911 595 6 0.0016%
1912 582 20 0.004%
1913 657 19 0.0034%
1914 608 35 0.005%
1915 550 66 0.0073%
1916 564 65 0.0067%
1917 633 54 0.0054%
1918 726 41 0.0038%
1919 700 44 0.0042%
1920 646 60 0.0054%
1921 617 71 0.0062%
1922 682 55 0.0049%
1923 622 68 0.0061%
1924 713 48 0.0041%
1925 723 44 0.0039%
1926 634 63 0.0057%
1927 665 56 0.0051%
1928 593 70 0.0065%
1929 616 63 0.0061%
1930 694 45 0.0043%
1931 624 56 0.0057%
1932 639 52 0.0053%
1933 661 43 0.0046%
1934 602 63 0.0065%
1935 575 66 0.0068%
1936 615 52 0.0054%
1937 608 57 0.0058%
1938 563 71 0.0069%
1939 678 41 0.004%
1940 688 42 0.004%
1941 633 54 0.0048%
1942 650 57 0.0045%
1943 713 43 0.0033%
1944 675 46 0.0037%
1945 777 29 0.0024%
1946 667 55 0.0037%
1947 704 55 0.0033%
1948 703 52 0.0033%
1949 697 56 0.0035%
1950 767 43 0.0027%
1951 686 65 0.0038%
1952 743 49 0.0028%
1953 742 53 0.003%
1954 763 51 0.0028%
1955 894 32 0.0017%
1956 784 49 0.0026%
1957 792 47 0.0024%
1958 737 60 0.0032%
1959 742 62 0.0033%
1960 817 47 0.0025%
1961 695 76 0.004%
1962 721 70 0.0038%
1963 740 67 0.0037%
1964 740 62 0.0035%
1965 805 43 0.0026%
1966 708 66 0.0042%
1967 721 60 0.004%
1968 725 62 0.0041%
1969 604 123 0.008%
1970 608 135 0.0085%
1971 562 160 0.0106%
1972 583 142 0.0104%
1973 615 121 0.0093%
1974 596 132 0.0102%
1975 534 180 0.014%
1976 520 193 0.015%
1977 515 211 0.0157%
1978 472 249 0.0185%
1979 428 309 0.0219%
1980 391 391 0.0267%
1981 386 395 0.0269%
1982 368 436 0.0292%
1983 348 483 0.0327%
1984 356 481 0.0323%
1985 357 474 0.0312%
1986 341 526 0.0348%
1987 392 441 0.0289%
1988 407 449 0.0288%
1989 418 453 0.0281%
1990 398 537 0.0324%
1991 368 600 0.0368%
1992 401 534 0.0335%
1993 353 629 0.0403%
1994 399 539 0.0351%
1995 372 605 0.0401%
1996 407 534 0.0357%
1997 421 509 0.0344%
1998 405 565 0.0377%
1999 405 562 0.0375%
2000 401 592 0.0388%
2001 397 599 0.0398%
2002 405 592 0.0395%
2003 394 631 0.0415%
2004 412 594 0.039%
2005 408 645 0.0422%
2006 429 626 0.04%
2007 381 766 0.0485%
2008 319 1,014 0.0656%
2009 263 1,305 0.0873%
2010 284 1,167 0.081%
2011 255 1,335 0.0937%
2012 216 1,699 0.1192%
2013 203 1,868 0.1312%
2014 198 2,022 0.1388%
2015 175 2,369 0.1628%
2016 179 2,237 0.1552%
2017 183 2,086 0.1495%
2018 181 2,151 0.1566%
2019 179 2,129 0.1573%
2020 186 2,006 0.1576%
2021 161 2,360 0.1931%
2022 159 2,287 0.1734%
2023 140 2,527 0.1952%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Graham

If you like Graham, you’ll love these other names like Graham.

What names are variants of Graham?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Graham.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Graeham

Gravel area; gray homestead

English

Graeme

Gravel area; gray homestead

English

Grahame

Gravel area; gray homestead

English

Lists With Graham

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Graham.

Siblings of Graham

Mamas with kids named Graham also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Miles

Soldier

Latin

Lincoln

Lake colony

English

Finnley

Fair-haired courageous one

Irish

Eliana

My God has answered

Hebrew

Hadassah

Myrtle tree

Hebrew

Simon

He has heard

Hebrew

Ingrid

Ing's beauty

Scandinavian

Ellyana
Jack

God is gracious

English

Benjamin

A favorite son

Hebrew

Henrik

Home ruler

German

11 Comments

  1. My partner and I chose the name Graham to honor my grandfather who passed away. I absolutely love the name, because it is keeping my grandfather’s legacy alive. I also like that it isn’t a name I hear very often!

    Reply

  2. Graham is my maiden name. I always thought if I had a little boy I would use my maiden name and name him Graham

    Reply

  3. European origin, uncommon, means home

    Reply

  4. We loved Graham because it was different and somewhat unique without being too crazy!

    Reply

  5. Graham is my maiden name. It’s also a strong, confident name. And not super popular. But the main reason I chose it is because it’s my maiden name.

    Reply

  6. My mother introduced us to this name. It is a strong one syllable name, that fits our sweet boy perfectly!

    Reply

    • My second name is Graham . I have always pronounced it as two syllables, Gray-ham.

      Reply

      • Yes, my sons name is Graham and we pronounce it Gray-yum. A college professor from UK said that is the traditional pronunciation.

        Reply

  7. Thought it was cute for all ages–baby to adult. Possible nickname that some may not like is Graham Cracker.

    Reply

  8. Classic name good for both young child and adult.

    Reply

  9. When we picked Graham for our first back in 2014 we followed the rule of making sure it wasn’t a name in the Top 100 most popular names in the previous year, though that didn’t stop us once from going to a swimming class of about 10 other kids and there were 3 Graham’s – how is that possible?

    We struggled to find the correct name, but one of us works in live music, and while staring up at the wall at some posters from San Francisco’s venue The Fillmore, we saw the word “Bill Graham Presents” at the bottom of every poster. While we didn’t like Bill, Graham sounded nice, and Bill Graham is the most famous concert promoter of all time.

    Reply

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