Graham Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Graham is a Scottish name meaning 'gravelly home', originating from a place name. It has evolved from historical forms such as Grām and Grahame. The name is associated with traits of reliability and strength, and has no biblical relevance. It gained popularity in the 19th century and remains a traditional name today.
The name Graham is most popular in North Carolina, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Generation Alpha generation in the MidWest region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is gaining popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been consistently rising. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Graham has been too falling for male in MidWest, too falling for male in Northeast, too falling for male in South, stalled for male in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been too falling for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, too falling for male in South, too falling for male in West. Across generations, 'Graham' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 620th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 596th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 731st out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 561st out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 387th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 349th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 171st out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 9107th out of 9107 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 15428th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 17086th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 17408th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 9857th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Graham' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Graham"
Pronunciation
/ˈɡreɪ.əm/
Origin
Scottish
Etymology
The name Graham is derived from the Old Scottish surname, which itself comes from a place name meaning 'gravelly homestead' or 'gravelly area'.
Meaning
gravelly home
Language Evolution
Grām, Graham, Grahame
Historical Usage
Graham gained popularity as a given name in the 19th century, especially in Scotland and England, influenced by notable figures bearing the surname.
Variants & Derivatives
Grahame, Gray, Grem
Modern Popularity & Image
Today, Graham is perceived as a traditional and strong name, often associated with reliability and stability.
Famous People
Graham Bell, Graham Norton, Graham Greene
Explore More Graham Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Graham"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Graham"
"Graham" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 620th of 7545 | 1,650 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 596th of 6773 | 1,816 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 731st of 7552 | 1,903 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 561st of 10718 | 3,342 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 387th of 16616 | 8,768 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 349th of 24088 | 13,635 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 171st of 23106 | 27,190 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 9107th of 9107 | 5 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 15428th of 19264 | 12 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 17086th of 27321 | 28 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 17408th of 35406 | 56 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 9857th of 30306 | 121 |
Regional Popularity of "Graham" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
62.50% 885th/1416 |
44.53% 614th/1379 |
21.68% 513th/2366 |
71.80% 820th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
41.40% 640th/1546 |
34.38% 535th/1556 |
24.78% 583rd/2353 |
54.75% 847th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
41.18% 917th/2227 |
26.46% 643rd/2430 |
24.40% 696th/2853 |
26.31% 730th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
18.76% 551st/2937 |
13.78% 480th/3483 |
17.31% 609th/3518 |
12.81% 518th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
8.82% 325th/3685 |
7.35% 329th/4475 |
7.68% 399th/5194 |
6.62% 418th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
5.94% 272nd/4582 |
6.64% 343rd/5164 |
4.64% 339th/7313 |
6.43% 480th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
2.94% 117th/3984 |
4.50% 202nd/4487 |
2.76% 188th/6822 |
3.59% 225th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Graham" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Graham"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Graham" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.