Craig
Craig is a Scottish, Irish and Welsh masculine given name; all variations derive from the Celtic languages. The name has two origins. In some cases it can originate from a nickname, derived from the Scottish Gaelic word creag, meaning 'rock', similar to Peter. In other cases, the given name originates from the Scottish surname Craig, which is also derived from the same Scottish Gaelic word.
- Scottish
- English
Meaning & Origin of Craig
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Craig is a Scottish, Irish and Welsh masculine given name; all variations derive from the Celtic languages. The name has two origins. In some cases it can originate from a nickname, derived from the Scottish Gaelic word creag, meaning 'rock', similar to Peter. In other cases, the given name originates from the Scottish surname Craig, which is also derived from the same Scottish Gaelic word.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Scottish
- English
The Story of Craig
Craig first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1881, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 10,720 Craigs were born — ranking #41 that year. As of 2026, Craig ranks #1,951 for baby boys with 81 births, falling sharply (-42%). In total, more than 300K Craigs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Craig
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Craig Abaya , American singer-songwriter
- Craig Ackerman (born 1974), American basketball announcer
- Craig Adams (disambiguation) , several people
- Craig Albernaz (born 1982), American baseball coach
- Craig Alcock (born 1987), English professional footballer
- Craig Allen (born 1957), American television and radio meteorologist
- Craig Allen (born 1959), Guernsey footballer
- Craig Alpert , American film editor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Craig
Phonetically similar names — useful when Craig is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Craig
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About the name Craig
Craig is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 300K births in the dataset. Craig's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #39. Use the chart and map above to compare Craig's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1960 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.