Griffin

Where Griffin comes from

The dictionaries list Griffin as a given name — a male given name from Welsh derived from Griffinus, a latinized form of Gruffudd — but don't trace where it came from. The record below is what the SSA data shows.

  • 2 syllables
Along the way
  1. 1881
    First appearance
    #781 among boys, 6 babies — the first year at least five got the name.
  2. 1955
    Griffin Dunne born
    American actor, film director and film producer
  3. 2000
    Griffin Gluck born
    American actor
  4. 2023
    Peak, #214
    1,728 babies named Griffin — more than any year before or since.
In the dictionary
  • A male given name from Welsh derived from Griffinus, a latinized form of Gruffudd.
  • A male given name from Cornish derived from Gryffyn, of relation to the Welsh name.
  • A female given name.
Namesakes
  • Griffin Dunne · American actor, film director and film producer, born 1955
  • Griffin Gluck · American actor, born 2000
  • Griffin Bell · American judge, 1918–2009
  • Griffin Yow · American soccer player, born 2002
  • Griffin Reinhart · Canadian ice hockey player, born 1994

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record.