Fun Facts About the Name Griffey
- 226 babies named Griffey: U.S. records list 226 babies given the name Griffey from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Griffey Mean?
Griffey is an English family name that is also used, though rarely, as a given name. It is generally grouped with the spellings Griffy, Griffin, and Griffith, which trace back to the Welsh personal name Gruffudd (also written Gruffydd).
The sense of Gruffudd is not settled. A common explanation reads it as "strong lord," from Welsh gryf ("strong") and udd ("lord"). A competing view links the first element to the griffin, the mythical creature known in Latin as gryphus. The English surname Griffin also arose separately as a nickname taken from the Old French word for that creature, and in English records the two derivations cannot be cleanly separated. The precise meaning behind Griffey is therefore uncertain.
Griffey Name History & Origins
The personal name at the root of this family name reached England from two directions: directly from Wales, where Gruffudd was borne by medieval rulers such as Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, who brought much of Wales under his control in the eleventh century, and in Norman French form (Griffin) through the Norman settlement of England after 1066. As a personal name, Griffin was common in medieval England.
English family names became hereditary between about the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, and names of this group settled into a range of spellings, among them Griffith, Griffin, Griffy, and Griffey. Spellings ending in -ey follow an ordinary English pattern and do not by themselves indicate a separate origin.
In the United States the name is chiefly a surname and is only occasionally given as a first name. It carries no particular religious or literary tradition, and its history as a given name is essentially that of the surname.
How Popular is the Name Griffey?
Griffey has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2021. Its best rank was #3,844 in 2021.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,095 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2024 | #4,743 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2023 | #4,508 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2022 | #4,761 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2021 | #3,844 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2020 | #5,539 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #4,528 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #4,131 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2017 | #4,646 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2016 | #6,476 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #9,913 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #12,714 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #13,140 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Griffey Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Griffey's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Griffey's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.