Boy · #8,799 in 2026

Grayling

Name: Popularity of the name Grayling in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Grayling, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#8,799

Peak Rank

#987 (1959)

Total Babies

529

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1950

First Year

1994

Last Year

1959

Peak Year

#987

Peak Rank

529

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Grayling

Grayling first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1950, with 17 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 61 Graylings were born — ranking #987 that year. As of 2026, Grayling ranks #8,799 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 529 Graylings have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Grayling

Phonetically similar names — useful when Grayling is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Greyling
Growling
Grilling
Grueling
Gruelling
Gurgling
Graying
Greying
Girling
Ghrelin
Geralyn
Gerling

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Grayling

What does the name Grayling mean?

Grayling is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1950. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Grayling in 2026?

In 2026, Grayling ranks #8,799 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Grayling most popular?

Grayling reached its peak popularity in 1959, ranking #987 that year with 61 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Grayling most popular?

Grayling has historically been most popular in North Carolina, Missouri, Alabama. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Grayling.

Is Grayling a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Grayling is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Grayling?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Grayling include Gay, Adin, Gianluca. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Grayling

Grayling is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1950 and has accumulated 529 births in the dataset. Grayling's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #987. Use the chart and map above to compare Grayling's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.