Holding steady, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Craven since 1916
Babies named Craven per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1956, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Craven's real moment was 1927.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 13 |
| 1920s | 70 |
| 1930s | 38 |
| 1940s | 48 |
| 1950s | 53 |
| 1960s | 25 |
| 1970s | 18 |
| 1980s | 10 |
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s | 49 |
| 2010s | 36 |
| 2020s | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Craven is an exceptionally rare boy's name in the United States, with a recorded history dating back to 1916. Its peak year of usage was 1927, after which it saw a significant decline. Despite being used occasionally throughout the 20th century, Craven has never achieved widespread popularity. The name's trajectory has been stable in recent years, with a rank of 12,008 in 2025 and approximately 1 in every 341,615 newborns receiving the name. No states consistently report higher usage, reflecting its scattered and uncommon nature across the country. As a surname-turned-first-name, Craven carries a strong, distinctive sound but remains an obscure choice for modern parents.
Craven is a rare given name derived from an English surname. The surname has multiple possible origins: it may come from the Old English words 'crafian' (to crave) or 'cræf' (garlic), or from a place name such as Craven in North Yorkshire (first recorded in the Domesday Book as 'Crave'). It has a very sporadic history of use as a first name, appearing occasionally in the early 20th century.
Sibling names for Craven
Names that share Craven's style, for a brother or sister.
