Craig
Boy name · Celtic · Gaelic · Irish · Scottish
Meaningrock · Scottish
- US rank
- #1,644
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #39 in 1970
102 babies were named Craig in the US in 2025. It has dropped 399 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1881–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Craig you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Craig
Craig Mello
American biologist
Choose Craig and your child shares a first name with Craig Mello, an American biologist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Craig, like who?” Craig Mello's Wikipedia article is available in 54 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Craig Mello on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Bengt Oberger, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 16,750 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Craig, 102 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Craig would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryCraig first shows up in US birth records in 1881, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 144 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1970, when it ranked #39. Today it's #1,644, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowCraig was 6.9× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 2,431 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 16,750.
- TrendCraig has slipped 399 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,644. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedCraig is most popular in Louisiana, where it ranks #775. It's in the top 1,000 in 1 state.
- MeaningIn Scottish, Craig means “rock”. Our records link it to Celtic, Gaelic and Irish roots.
About the name Craig
Craig is a boy name of Celtic, Gaelic and Irish origin meaning “rock”. It has 5 letters and 1 syllable, starting with C and ending in “-aig”. US birth records list Craig for boys from 1881 to 2025, in 133 of those 145 years. Its best year was 1970, when it ranked #39 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,644, with 102 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesGaelic namesIrish namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 17 | 58,978 boys |
| 1890s | 26 | 38,168 boys |
| 1900s | 57 | 17,624 boys |
| 1910s | 64 | 15,645 boys |
| 1920s | 82 | 12,152 boys |
| 1930s | 182 | 5,481 boys |
| 1940s | 1,259 | 794 boys |
| 1950s | 3,418 | 293 boys |
| 1960s | 4,395 | 228 boys |
| 1970s | 3,538 | 283 boys |
| 1980s | 2,072 | 483 boys |
| 1990s | 819 | 1,221 boys |
| 2000s | 279 | 3,587 boys |
| 2010s | 131 | 7,627 boys |
| 2020s | 68 | 14,815 boys |
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Craig
What does the name Craig mean?
Craig means “rock” in Scottish.
What is the origin of the name Craig?
Craig has Celtic, Gaelic, Irish, Scottish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Craig a boy or girl name?
Craig is a boy name.
How popular is the name Craig?
Craig ranked #1,644 for US boys in 2025, given to 102 babies. Its best year was 1970 (#39).