Griffin
Griffin is a masculine given name of Welsh origin. The name derives from Griffinus, which is a Latinised version of Griffith which was commonly used in medieval Wales. Griffith is an Anglicized form of Gruffydd, which ultimately derives from the Old Welsh Grippiud (prince).
- English
Meaning & Origin of Griffin
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Griffin is a masculine given name of Welsh origin. The name derives from Griffinus, which is a Latinised version of Griffith which was commonly used in medieval Wales. Griffith is an Anglicized form of Gruffydd, which ultimately derives from the Old Welsh Grippiud (prince).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Griffin
Griffin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1881, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2023: 1,726 births, good for #214 nationwide. About 30% of every Griffin on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Griffin ranks #212 for baby boys with 1,677 births, holding steady (+4%). All told, over 53K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Griffin
Phonetically similar names — useful when Griffin 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 Griffin
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About the name Griffin
Griffin is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 53K births in the dataset. Griffin's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #212. Use the chart and map above to compare Griffin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
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- 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.