Graham Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like Graham

Graham Name Origin: English
Pronunciation: gram
See what 12 people think about Graham

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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.

Graham Name Popularity

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

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	—	8	0.0023%
1911	—	6	0.0016%
1912	—	20	0.004%
1913	—	19	0.0034%
1914	—	35	0.005%
1915	—	66	0.0073%
1916	—	65	0.0067%
1917	—	54	0.0054%
1918	—	41	0.0038%
1919	—	44	0.0042%
1920	—	60	0.0054%
1921	—	71	0.0062%
1922	—	55	0.0049%
1923	—	68	0.0061%
1924	—	48	0.0041%
1925	—	44	0.0039%
1926	—	63	0.0057%
1927	—	56	0.0051%
1928	—	70	0.0065%
1929	—	63	0.0061%
1930	—	45	0.0043%
1931	—	56	0.0057%
1932	—	52	0.0053%
1933	—	43	0.0046%
1934	—	63	0.0065%
1935	—	66	0.0068%
1936	—	52	0.0054%
1937	—	57	0.0058%
1938	—	71	0.0069%
1939	—	41	0.004%
1940	—	42	0.004%
1941	—	54	0.0048%
1942	—	57	0.0045%
1943	—	43	0.0033%
1944	—	46	0.0037%
1945	—	29	0.0024%
1946	—	55	0.0037%
1947	—	55	0.0033%
1948	—	52	0.0033%
1949	—	56	0.0035%
1950	—	43	0.0027%
1951	—	65	0.0038%
1952	—	49	0.0028%
1953	—	53	0.003%
1954	—	51	0.0028%
1955	—	32	0.0017%
1956	—	49	0.0026%
1957	—	47	0.0024%
1958	—	60	0.0032%
1959	—	62	0.0033%
1960	—	47	0.0025%
1961	—	76	0.004%
1962	—	70	0.0038%
1963	—	67	0.0037%
1964	—	62	0.0035%
1965	—	43	0.0026%
1966	—	66	0.0042%
1967	—	60	0.004%
1968	—	62	0.0041%
1969	—	123	0.008%
1970	—	135	0.0085%
1971	—	160	0.0106%
1972	—	142	0.0104%
1973	—	121	0.0093%
1974	—	132	0.0102%
1975	—	180	0.014%
1976	—	193	0.015%
1977	—	211	0.0157%
1978	—	249	0.0185%
1979	—	309	0.0219%
1980	—	391	0.0267%
1981	—	395	0.0269%
1982	—	436	0.0292%
1983	—	483	0.0327%
1984	—	481	0.0323%
1985	—	474	0.0312%
1986	—	526	0.0348%
1987	—	441	0.0289%
1988	—	449	0.0288%
1989	—	453	0.0281%
1990	—	537	0.0324%
1991	—	600	0.0368%
1992	—	534	0.0335%
1993	—	629	0.0403%
1994	—	539	0.0351%
1995	—	605	0.0401%
1996	—	534	0.0357%
1997	—	509	0.0344%
1998	—	565	0.0377%
1999	—	562	0.0375%
2000	—	592	0.0388%
2001	—	599	0.0398%
2002	—	592	0.0395%
2003	—	631	0.0415%
2004	—	594	0.039%
2005	—	645	0.0422%
2006	—	626	0.04%
2007	—	766	0.0485%
2008	—	1,014	0.0656%
2009	—	1,305	0.0873%
2010	—	1,167	0.081%
2011	—	1,335	0.0937%
2012	—	1,699	0.1192%
2013	—	1,868	0.1312%
2014	—	2,022	0.1388%
2015	—	2,369	0.1628%
2016	—	2,237	0.1552%
2017	—	2,086	0.1495%
2018	—	2,151	0.1566%
2019	—	2,129	0.1573%
2020	—	2,006	0.1576%
2021	—	2,360	0.1931%
2022	—	2,287	0.1734%
2023	—	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
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
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

Share Your Thoughts

12 Comments

Red Wolfe Mar 6 at 2:57 pm

Might want to correct the pronunciation here. Graham is pronounced like “grey-uhm” and not “gram” like Graham cracker.

Soirce: I’m Scottish and have lived in Scotland my entire life. Know a lot of Grahams. None pronounced like gram. All pronounced gray-uhm

Reply
Jordan Feb 28 at 8:20 am

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
Heather Dec 7 at 3:59 pm

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
Paige Nov 21 at 8:46 pm

European origin, uncommon, means home

Reply
Alexis Aug 24 at 10:00 pm

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

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Alli Mar 2 at 12:13 pm

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
Kelbi Jun 28 at 10:01 am

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

Reply
- Bill Aug 8 at 8:54 pm
  
  My second name is Graham . I have always pronounced it as two syllables, Gray-ham.
  
  Reply
  - Jane Barlow Oct 19 at 8:26 am
    
    Yes, my sons name is Graham and we pronounce it Gray-yum. A college professor from UK said that is the traditional pronunciation.
    
    Reply
casie Apr 13 at 11:47 am

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

Reply
Katie Apr 11 at 12:36 pm

Classic name good for both young child and adult.

Reply
Dave Apr 10 at 2:12 pm

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.

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