Declining since 2013, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Grafton since 1886
Babies named Grafton per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1916, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Grafton's real moment was 1895.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 |
| 1890s | 12 |
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 130 |
| 1920s | 145 |
| 1930s | 99 |
| 1940s | 126 |
| 1950s | 114 |
| 1960s | 41 |
| 1970s | 23 |
| 1980s | 42 |
| 1990s | 50 |
| 2000s | 106 |
| 2010s | 128 |
| 2020s | 54 |
Meaning & origin
Grafton first entered U.S. name records in 1886, a late-Victorian arrival typical of the era's taste for surname-as-first-name choices. It peaked modestly in 1895, its highest rank of the 1890s decade. Since 2013 the name has been in steady decline, falling in usage each year. Today, Grafton is exceedingly uncommon, with a 2025 rank of 8243 and approximately 1 in every 189,786 newborn boys receiving it. It has no strong association with any particular U.S. state, as its usage has always been sparse and scattered. The name retains a dignified, old-fashioned feel, appealing to parents drawn to rare, surname-style names with a clear English heritage.
Grafton is an English surname derived from a place name meaning 'grove settlement' or 'settlement by a grove', from Old English 'graf' (grove) and 'tun' (enclosure, settlement). It was first recorded as a given name in the late 19th century, likely influenced by the use of surnames as first names.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Graft
Sibling names for Grafton
Names that share Grafton's style, for a brother or sister.
