Grady Boy

Popularity: #352 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: GRAY-dee //ˈɡreɪdi//

Origin: Irish; English

Meaning: Irish: noble; English: descendant of Grádaigh

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Grady has its roots in the Irish surname "Ó Grádaigh," which means "descendant of Grádaigh." The name Grádaigh itself is derived from the Gaelic word "grádh," meaning "grace" or "nobility." This surname was historically associated with a family from County Galway in Ireland, and it was anglicized to Grady as English influence spread in the region during the 17th century. The transition from Gaelic to English reflects broader patterns of cultural exchange and the impact of English colonization in Ireland.

Grady's historical significance can be traced back to the medieval period in Ireland, where the Ó Grádaigh family played a role in local governance and land ownership. The name appears in various historical records, including the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

The name's association with nobility and grace contributed to its enduring presence in Irish culture, as families often took pride in their lineage and heritage. In addition to its Irish roots, Grady has found resonance in American culture, particularly among Irish-American communities.

The name has been embraced as a symbol of heritage and identity, reflecting the broader narrative of Irish immigration to the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The name's simplicity and strong phonetic qualities have made it appealing, while its historical connections to nobility and grace have imbued it with a sense of dignity.

Related forms, such as the diminutive "Gray," have also emerged, though Grady remains the most recognized form. Overall, the name Grady encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution, historical significance, and cultural identity.

Famous people named Grady

In this section, you will find notable people named Grady. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Grady who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Grady who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Grady Stiles Jr. is a performer best known for his appearances in the sideshow circuit as the 'Lobster Boy'.

Grady Sizemore is a former professional baseball player best known for his time with the Cleveland Indians and being a two-time All-Star.

Fictional characters named Grady

The following list of fictional characters named Grady is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Grady is a fictional character from the film The Shining. He is the ghostly former caretaker of the Overlook Hotel who appears to Jack Torrance.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Grady, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

BradyCodyRileyMasonTroyZach

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Grady. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

GrahamGideonGarrettGavinGraysonGentryGlen

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Grady was first seen in the United States in 1887.

Grady has ranked as high as #565 nationally, which occurred in 2008, and has been most popular in Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee.

In the past 5 years the name Grady has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Grady is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Grady was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Grady.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 860 851 9
2024 891 884 7
2023 818 806 12
2022 804 791 13
2021 735 727 8
2020 778 768 10
2019 757 748 9
2018 779 766 13
2017 886 886 0
2016 950 938 12
2015 958 958 0
2014 963 956 7
2013 917 917 0
2012 950 943 7
2011 1,094 1,089 5
2010 1,023 1,015 8
2009 1,155 1,140 15
2008 1,203 1,196 7
2007 952 945 7
2006 565 558 7
2005 462 462 0
2004 430 424 6
2003 364 364 0
2002 325 325 0
2001 254 249 5
2000 238 229 9
1999 206 206 0
1998 180 180 0
1997 156 156 0
1996 178 172 6
1995 196 196 0
1994 199 199 0
1993 204 204 0
1992 168 168 0
1991 130 130 0
1990 173 173 0
1989 169 169 0
1988 172 172 0
1987 168 163 5
1986 157 157 0
1985 133 133 0
1984 124 124 0
1983 121 121 0
1982 151 151 0
1981 144 144 0
1980 143 143 0
1979 141 141 0
1978 161 161 0
1977 160 160 0
1976 164 164 0
1975 208 208 0
1974 254 249 5
1973 237 237 0
1972 256 256 0
1971 264 264 0
1970 297 292 5
1969 277 270 7
1968 234 234 0
1967 233 233 0
1966 268 268 0
1965 287 287 0
1964 318 318 0
1963 285 285 0
1962 346 341 5
1961 336 336 0
1960 357 357 0
1959 369 364 5
1958 359 354 5
1957 377 377 0
1956 365 365 0
1955 411 403 8
1954 434 427 7
1953 400 400 0
1952 439 434 5
1951 481 471 10
1950 425 419 6
1949 469 456 13
1948 421 415 6
1947 495 490 5
1946 444 438 6
1945 423 418 5
1944 455 455 0
1943 480 474 6
1942 489 480 9
1941 462 453 9
1940 495 489 6
1939 496 486 10
1938 479 471 8
1937 518 503 15
1936 480 467 13
1935 485 475 10
1934 463 458 5
1933 469 461 8
1932 473 465 8
1931 455 444 11
1930 517 508 9
1929 519 506 13
1928 530 511 19
1927 539 518 21
1926 597 576 21
1925 548 533 15
1924 595 582 13
1923 612 595 17
1922 592 577 15
1921 630 619 11
1920 609 602 7
1919 620 604 16
1918 586 569 17
1917 540 528 12
1916 543 527 16
1915 508 497 11
1914 418 408 10
1913 366 354 12
1912 261 252 9
1911 178 173 5
1910 120 114 6
1909 106 99 7
1908 105 96 9
1907 94 94 0
1906 72 66 6
1905 77 70 7
1904 64 59 5
1903 65 65 0
1902 70 70 0
1901 61 55 6
1900 79 79 0
1899 48 48 0
1898 55 55 0
1897 42 36 6
1896 62 57 5
1895 59 59 0
1894 38 38 0
1893 44 44 0
1892 37 37 0
1891 40 33 7
1890 43 43 0
1889 33 33 0
1888 9 9 0
1887 7 7 0

Top States for Grady (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 69
8%
FL 57
7%
NC 53
6%
OH 52
6%
GA 46
5%
CA 39
5%
NY 35
4%
TN 34
4%
AL 32
4%
MO 31
4%
IN 29
3%
SC 27
3%
KY 25
3%
MN 24
3%
OK 23
3%
PA 22
3%
VA 21
2%
WA 20
2%
IL 20
2%
MI 18
2%
MA 17
2%
IA 17
2%
KS 15
2%
MS 14
2%
WI 13
2%
LA 12
1%
MD 12
1%
CO 10
1%
OR 9
1%
NJ 8
1%
UT 8
1%
AR 8
1%
AZ 7
1%
ID 7
1%
CT 6
1%
SD 6
1%
MT 5
1%
WV 5
1%
ND 5
1%
NH 5
1%