Graham Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: GRAY-um //ˈɡreɪ.əm//
Origin: Scottish; English
Meaning: Scottish: gravelly homestead; English: from the gravelly place
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Graham has its roots in the Old English and Old Norse languages. It is derived from the place name "Græmhamm," which means "gravelly homestead" or "gravelly area." The name evolved through various linguistic stages, transitioning from Old English to Middle English, and eventually into its modern form in English.
The Norman Conquest in the 11th century introduced the name into the broader English lexicon, where it became associated with the Anglo-Norman aristocracy and landowners, particularly in Scotland and England. Historically, the name Graham gained prominence through notable figures, including Sir William Graham, a Scottish nobleman who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the late 13th century.
The name is also linked to the Graham clan, which played a significant role in Scottish history, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. The clan's influence is reflected in various historical documents and accounts, including the writings of Sir Walter Scott in the early 19th century, which helped to romanticize Scottish heritage and the significance of clan identities.
Culturally, the name Graham has been associated with strength and resilience, often symbolizing loyalty and bravery, traits that were highly valued in Scottish society. The name has also been linked to various saints and religious figures, contributing to its enduring presence in Christian contexts.
A diminutive form, "Gray," has also been used historically, although it is less common. Overall, the name Graham carries a rich historical and cultural significance, reflecting its deep roots in the linguistic and social fabric of England and Scotland.
Famous people named Graham
In this section, you will find notable people named Graham. 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 Graham who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Graham 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.
Graham Greene is an author best known for The Power and the Glory, The Heart of the Matter, and Brighton Rock.
Graham Norton is a television presenter and comedian best known for The Graham Norton Show, So Graham Norton, and Graham Norton's Big Adventure.
Graham Chapman is a comedian and actor best known for Monty Python's Flying Circus, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Life of Brian.
Graham Parker is a musician best known for his albums Heat Treatment, Squeezing Out Sparks, and The Mona Lisa's Sister.
Graham Nash is a musician best known for being a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and for his work with The Hollies.
Graham Bell is a scientist and inventor best known for inventing the telephone.
Fictional characters named Graham
The following list of fictional characters named Graham 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.
Graham is a fictional character from the video game series The Walking Dead. He is a member of the group of survivors navigating a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Graham, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Graham. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Graham was first seen in the United States in 1881.
Graham has ranked as high as #212 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Graham has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Graham 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 Graham was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Graham (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 215 | |
| OH | 159 | |
| CA | 139 | |
| IL | 124 | |
| MI | 116 | |
| NC | 108 | |
| MN | 100 | |
| IN | 94 | |
| FL | 93 | |
| NY | 93 | |
| MO | 91 | |
| WI | 88 | |
| PA | 86 | |
| UT | 83 | |
| VA | 80 |
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 Graham.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,789 |
| 2023 | 2,537 |
| 2022 | 2,400 |
| 2021 | 2,381 |
| 2020 | 2,095 |
| 2019 | 2,156 |
| 2018 | 2,174 |
| 2017 | 2,111 |
| 2016 | 2,247 |
| 2015 | 2,378 |
| 2014 | 2,039 |
| 2013 | 1,883 |
| 2012 | 1,715 |
| 2011 | 1,356 |
| 2010 | 1,189 |
| 2009 | 1,328 |
| 2008 | 1,031 |
| 2007 | 798 |
| 2006 | 649 |
| 2005 | 670 |
| 2004 | 617 |
| 2003 | 662 |
| 2002 | 619 |
| 2001 | 631 |
| 2000 | 618 |
| 1999 | 598 |
| 1998 | 600 |
| 1997 | 554 |
| 1996 | 577 |
| 1995 | 633 |
| 1994 | 589 |
| 1993 | 668 |
| 1992 | 571 |
| 1991 | 629 |
| 1990 | 587 |
| 1989 | 499 |
| 1988 | 488 |
| 1987 | 476 |
| 1986 | 564 |
| 1985 | 521 |
| 1984 | 518 |
| 1983 | 525 |
| 1982 | 474 |
| 1981 | 449 |
| 1980 | 445 |
| 1979 | 366 |
| 1978 | 298 |
| 1977 | 249 |
| 1976 | 248 |
| 1975 | 233 |
| 1974 | 186 |
| 1973 | 175 |
| 1972 | 194 |
| 1971 | 205 |
| 1970 | 175 |
| 1969 | 161 |
| 1968 | 110 |
| 1967 | 106 |
| 1966 | 103 |
| 1965 | 88 |
| 1964 | 99 |
| 1963 | 114 |
| 1962 | 108 |
| 1961 | 111 |
| 1960 | 94 |
| 1959 | 111 |
| 1958 | 107 |
| 1957 | 96 |
| 1956 | 96 |
| 1955 | 81 |
| 1954 | 92 |
| 1953 | 92 |
| 1952 | 93 |
| 1951 | 106 |
| 1950 | 97 |
| 1949 | 101 |
| 1948 | 93 |
| 1947 | 112 |
| 1946 | 100 |
| 1945 | 78 |
| 1944 | 99 |
| 1943 | 93 |
| 1942 | 100 |
| 1941 | 101 |
| 1940 | 86 |
| 1939 | 86 |
| 1938 | 112 |
| 1937 | 102 |
| 1936 | 95 |
| 1935 | 116 |
| 1934 | 110 |
| 1933 | 100 |
| 1932 | 113 |
| 1931 | 100 |
| 1930 | 102 |
| 1929 | 106 |
| 1928 | 117 |
| 1927 | 94 |
| 1926 | 101 |
| 1925 | 95 |
| 1924 | 90 |
| 1923 | 117 |
| 1922 | 105 |
| 1921 | 129 |
| 1920 | 108 |
| 1919 | 93 |
| 1918 | 85 |
| 1917 | 92 |
| 1916 | 109 |
| 1915 | 98 |
| 1914 | 68 |
| 1913 | 53 |
| 1912 | 48 |
| 1911 | 28 |
| 1910 | 26 |
| 1909 | 19 |
| 1908 | 18 |
| 1907 | 17 |
| 1906 | 12 |
| 1905 | 12 |
| 1904 | 12 |
| 1903 | 13 |
| 1902 | 8 |
| 1900 | 15 |
| 1899 | 5 |
| 1898 | 10 |
| 1897 | 7 |
| 1895 | 14 |
| 1894 | 12 |
| 1893 | 6 |
| 1892 | 13 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1889 | 7 |
| 1888 | 8 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1884 | 6 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1882 | 7 |
| 1881 | 5 |