Fun Facts About the Name Grimm
- 105 babies named Grimm: U.S. records list 105 babies given the name Grimm from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Grimm Mean?
Grimm comes from the Germanic adjective seen in German as grimm and in English as grim, meaning "fierce," "grim," or "wrathful." It goes back to Old High German grim and to a Proto-Germanic root *grimma-, which also produced Old Norse grimmr and Old English grim. Used as a name, it began as a descriptive byname for a fierce or stern person, or as a short form of a compound personal name built on the element Grim-, as in Old English Grimbald.
A second, similar Germanic word stands behind some of the same name forms: Old Norse gríma, meaning "mask," "hood," or "helmet," which gives the personal name Grímr, usually explained as "masked one." Because the "fierce" adjective and the "mask" noun look and sound alike, their connection is debated; some treat them as branches of one ancient root, while others keep them separate. The literal sense of the name therefore centers on fierceness, with the "masked" reading belonging to the related Norse form rather than to the German word grimm itself.
Grimm Name History & Origins
The name is recorded in German-speaking Europe chiefly as a surname, where it could arise either from a nickname for a grim or fierce man or from the personal-name element Grim-. That element is old and widespread in Germanic naming: it appears in Old English names such as Grimbald and in the Old Norse name Grímr. Norse settlers brought Grímr to England, where it survives in place names such as Grimsby.
The best-known bearers of the surname are Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the nineteenth-century German philologists and collectors of folk tales whose Kinder- und Hausmärchen (1812) became familiar in English as Grimm's Fairy Tales. Their fame belongs to the history of the surname, not to the origin of the name. As a first name, Grimm is uncommon; it is used occasionally in English-speaking countries as a surname adopted as a given name.
How Popular is the Name Grimm?
Grimm 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 2019. Its best rank was #6,542 in 2019.
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 | #7,346 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #10,213 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #7,905 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #7,433 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #6,844 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #12,720 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #6,542 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #9,108 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #11,243 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #7,680 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #11,209 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #11,280 | 6 | 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 Grimm 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.
✦ Grimm's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Grimm's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.