Fun Facts About the Name Griffin
- More than 51 thousand babies named Griffin: U.S. records list 51,796 babies given the name Griffin from 1880 through 2025. Even 758 girls received the name Griffin - about 1 girl for every 67 boys.
What Does the Name Griffin Mean?
Griffin is an English given name with two independent sources. One is the Welsh personal name Gruffudd (also spelled Gruffydd), which is traditionally explained as "strong lord" or "mighty prince." The second element is likely Welsh udd, meaning "lord" or "prince," but the first element is not securely identified, so the full etymology is uncertain. The other source is the griffin, the mythical creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. That word entered English from Old French grifon, from Latin gryphus, from Greek gryps. In Ireland, Griffin is also an anglicized form of Ó Gríobhtha, meaning "descendant of Gríobhtha," a personal name probably derived from the Irish word for the griffin. These origins are separate, though they have converged in the modern name.
Griffin Name History & Origins
The Welsh name Gruffudd was borne by medieval rulers. Gruffudd ap Llywelyn (died 1063) united much of Wales, and Gruffudd ap Cynan (c. 1055 - 1137) was king of Gwynedd. English writers rendered the name as Griffin, and the same Welsh name also produced the English surname and given name Griffith. The surname Griffin is found in England from the medieval period, where it could come either from the Welsh personal name or from a nickname taken from the griffin, perhaps for someone thought to resemble the beast or from a house sign. In Ireland, Griffin often stands for Ó Gríobhtha. As an English first name, Griffin was originally a transferred use of the surname. In modern English-speaking countries it is used as both a given name and a surname. H. G. Wells gave the surname Griffin to the protagonist of The Invisible Man (1897), a later literary association rather than the name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Griffin?
Griffin recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2023. Its best rank was #214 in 2023.
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 | #5,788 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2024 | #6,223 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2023 | #5,617 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 2022 | #5,696 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #5,823 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #7,336 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #4,812 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2018 | #4,268 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2017 | #6,128 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2016 | #5,044 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2015 | #5,895 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2014 | #5,860 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #7,160 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #7,246 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2011 | #9,951 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #7,020 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2009 | #8,192 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #9,147 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #5,774 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2006 | #7,616 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2005 | #6,941 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #6,317 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #6,403 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #7,186 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #6,723 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2000 | #7,296 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #6,961 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1998 | #5,891 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1997 | #3,183 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1996 | #4,353 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1995 | #7,203 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #4,583 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1993 | #4,567 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1992 | #8,291 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #10,668 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #7,027 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #6,286 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #7,320 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #6,974 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #9,720 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #6,990 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #10,832 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #9,610 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #8,419 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #7,639 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #10,737 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #222 | 1,627 | 0.0953% |
| 2024 | #223 | 1,609 | 0.0938% |
| 2023 | #214 | 1,726 | 0.1010% |
| 2022 | #230 | 1,539 | 0.0882% |
| 2021 | #232 | 1,592 | 0.0911% |
| 2020 | #241 | 1,491 | 0.0864% |
| 2019 | #232 | 1,623 | 0.0905% |
| 2018 | #224 | 1,678 | 0.0924% |
| 2017 | #243 | 1,522 | 0.0823% |
| 2016 | #230 | 1,695 | 0.0893% |
| 2015 | #236 | 1,614 | 0.0842% |
| 2014 | #243 | 1,537 | 0.0800% |
| 2013 | #225 | 1,623 | 0.0858% |
| 2012 | #220 | 1,652 | 0.0871% |
| 2011 | #227 | 1,581 | 0.0833% |
| 2010 | #232 | 1,517 | 0.0791% |
| 2009 | #232 | 1,558 | 0.0786% |
| 2008 | #243 | 1,504 | 0.0737% |
| 2007 | #242 | 1,486 | 0.0716% |
| 2006 | #256 | 1,353 | 0.0658% |
| 2005 | #244 | 1,376 | 0.0689% |
| 2004 | #241 | 1,385 | 0.0698% |
| 2003 | #225 | 1,536 | 0.0778% |
| 2002 | #228 | 1,472 | 0.0758% |
| 2001 | #239 | 1,418 | 0.0730% |
| 2000 | #233 | 1,468 | 0.0747% |
| 1999 | #219 | 1,545 | 0.0805% |
| 1998 | #215 | 1,491 | 0.0780% |
| 1997 | #225 | 1,364 | 0.0724% |
| 1996 | #281 | 990 | 0.0523% |
| 1995 | #355 | 689 | 0.0362% |
| 1994 | #404 | 566 | 0.0293% |
| 1993 | #487 | 432 | 0.0220% |
| 1992 | #561 | 329 | 0.0165% |
| 1991 | #634 | 259 | 0.0128% |
| 1990 | #604 | 277 | 0.0135% |
| 1989 | #636 | 248 | 0.0124% |
| 1988 | #621 | 232 | 0.0121% |
| 1987 | #571 | 252 | 0.0135% |
| 1986 | #754 | 144 | 0.0078% |
| 1985 | #727 | 148 | 0.0080% |
| 1984 | #986 | 82 | 0.0045% |
| 1983 | #984 | 81 | 0.0045% |
| 1982 | #1,246 | 56 | 0.0031% |
| 1981 | #1,420 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1980 | #1,191 | 59 | 0.0033% |
| 1979 | #1,091 | 67 | 0.0039% |
| 1978 | #1,091 | 64 | 0.0039% |
| 1977 | #1,108 | 62 | 0.0038% |
| 1976 | #1,147 | 56 | 0.0036% |
| 1975 | #1,676 | 30 | 0.0019% |
| 1974 | #1,949 | 23 | 0.0015% |
| 1973 | #2,161 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1972 | #2,893 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #2,234 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1970 | #2,437 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1969 | #1,481 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1968 | #2,242 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1967 | #1,936 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1966 | #2,689 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1965 | #2,118 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1964 | #2,152 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1963 | #1,998 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1962 | #2,310 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #2,093 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1960 | #2,361 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1959 | #1,831 | 20 | 0.0009% |
| 1958 | #1,794 | 20 | 0.0009% |
| 1957 | #1,916 | 18 | 0.0008% |
| 1956 | #2,315 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1955 | #1,584 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1954 | #1,678 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1953 | #2,066 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1952 | #1,770 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1951 | #1,797 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1950 | #2,065 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #1,727 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1948 | #1,675 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1947 | #1,620 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1946 | #1,486 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1945 | #2,173 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1944 | #1,769 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1943 | #1,794 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1942 | #2,081 | 13 | 0.0009% |
| 1941 | #1,611 | 19 | 0.0015% |
| 1940 | #1,708 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1939 | #1,827 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1938 | #2,121 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1937 | #1,716 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1936 | #2,112 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1935 | #1,683 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1934 | #1,747 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1933 | #1,612 | 19 | 0.0019% |
| 1932 | #2,040 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1931 | #2,249 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1930 | #2,228 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1929 | #1,541 | 23 | 0.0021% |
| 1928 | #1,468 | 26 | 0.0023% |
| 1927 | #2,142 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1926 | #1,488 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1925 | #1,602 | 23 | 0.0021% |
| 1924 | #1,650 | 23 | 0.0020% |
| 1923 | #1,664 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1922 | #1,919 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1921 | #1,610 | 23 | 0.0021% |
| 1920 | #1,563 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1919 | #1,462 | 25 | 0.0026% |
| 1918 | #1,561 | 23 | 0.0023% |
| 1917 | #1,501 | 23 | 0.0025% |
| 1916 | #1,660 | 19 | 0.0021% |
| 1915 | #1,824 | 16 | 0.0019% |
| 1914 | #1,286 | 22 | 0.0034% |
| 1913 | #1,471 | 14 | 0.0027% |
| 1912 | #1,304 | 14 | 0.0033% |
| 1911 | #1,072 | 11 | 0.0049% |
| 1910 | #1,250 | 8 | 0.0041% |
| 1908 | #1,055 | 8 | 0.0052% |
| 1906 | #878 | 9 | 0.0068% |
| 1905 | #866 | 9 | 0.0068% |
| 1904 | #1,281 | 5 | 0.0039% |
| 1903 | #815 | 9 | 0.0075% |
| 1902 | #1,066 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1901 | #803 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1900 | #1,093 | 7 | 0.0047% |
| 1898 | #1,057 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1897 | #994 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1896 | #1,163 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1894 | #1,149 | 5 | 0.0043% |
| 1892 | #1,141 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1891 | #895 | 6 | 0.0059% |
| 1890 | #839 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1889 | #839 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1887 | #986 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1885 | #1,000 | 5 | 0.0046% |
| 1884 | #806 | 7 | 0.0061% |
| 1882 | #998 | 5 | 0.0044% |
| 1881 | #817 | 6 | 0.0060% |
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 Griffin 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.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Griffin's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Griffin's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.