Grady
Boy name · #373 in 2025 · Distinctive
Grady ranks #373 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 851 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #353, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,115 boys born in 2025 was named Grady.
The 138-year story
Grady first appears in the Social Security records in 1887, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2008, when 1,196 boys were named Grady — good for #286 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Grady per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Grady against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Grady in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Grady is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Grady is most common
Geography matters for names, and Grady is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Grady is most common in WV (2.4 per 1,000), OK (1.2 per 1,000), TN (1.2 per 1,000), OH (1.2 per 1,000), KS (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Grady is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Grady
Statistically, parents drawn to Grady tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Brady, Brody, Rocco, Avery, and Emery.
BradyBrodyRoccoAveryEmeryJoaquinRylanUriel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Grady | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 851 | #373 |
| 2024 | 884 | #372 |
| 2023 | 806 | #395 |
| 2022 | 791 | #405 |
| 2021 | 727 | #424 |
| 2020 | 768 | #399 |
| 2019 | 748 | #414 |
| 2018 | 766 | #414 |
| 2017 | 886 | #375 |
| 2016 | 938 | #357 |
| 2015 | 958 | #353 |
| 2014 | 956 | #347 |
| 2013 | 917 | #348 |
| 2012 | 943 | #334 |
| 2011 | 1,089 | #304 |
| 2010 | 1,015 | #314 |
| 2009 | 1,140 | #289 |
| 2008 | 1,196 | #286 |
| 2007 | 945 | #341 |
| 2006 | 558 | #474 |
| 2005 | 462 | #527 |
| 2004 | 424 | #545 |
| 2003 | 364 | #592 |
| 2002 | 325 | #614 |
| 2001 | 249 | #708 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Grady a popular boy name?
Grady ranked #373 among boys in 2025 with 851 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #353.
When was the name Grady most popular?
Grady peaked in 2008, when 1,196 American boys received the name (ranked #286 that year). Since 2008 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Grady?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,115 newborn American boys was named Grady. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.