Craig
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Craig since 1881 — 300,628 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Craig
Craig is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,644 in 2025 with 102 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 300,628 American babies have been named Craig. Its peak came in 1960, when 10,744 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Craig stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Craig year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 102 | #1,644 |
| 2024 | — | — | 88 | #1,836 |
| 2023 | — | — | 115 | #1,531 |
| 2022 | — | — | 121 | #1,499 |
| 2021 | — | — | 125 | #1,444 |
| 2020 | — | — | 149 | #1,245 |
| 2019 | — | — | 205 | #1,013 |
| 2018 | — | — | 161 | #1,181 |
| 2017 | — | — | 210 | #980 |
| 2016 | — | — | 238 | #905 |
| 2015 | — | — | 237 | #910 |
| 2014 | — | — | 228 | #931 |
| 2013 | — | — | 268 | #814 |
| 2012 | — | — | 291 | #778 |
| 2011 | — | — | 272 | #806 |
| 2010 | — | — | 362 | #664 |
| 2009 | — | — | 368 | #666 |
| 2008 | — | — | 428 | #589 |
| 2007 | — | — | 471 | #546 |
| 2006 | — | — | 463 | #547 |
| 2005 | — | — | 504 | #491 |
| 2004 | — | — | 523 | #479 |
| 2003 | — | — | 607 | #424 |
| 2002 | — | — | 689 | #379 |
| 2001 | — | — | 682 | #381 |
| 2000 | — | — | 808 | #340 |
| 1995 | 5 | #13,893 | 1,355 | #219 |
| 1990 | 14 | #6,193 | 2,907 | #117 |
| 1985 | 19 | #4,162 | 3,952 | #79 |
| 1980 | 17 | #4,362 | 4,234 | #73 |
| 1975 | 14 | #4,397 | 5,110 | #58 |
| 1970 | 46 | #1,879 | 9,364 | #39 |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,852 | 7,877 | #46 |
| 1960 | 20 | #2,752 | 10,724 | #41 |
| 1955 | 19 | #2,564 | 7,448 | #50 |
| 1950 | 12 | #3,095 | 4,888 | #69 |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,736 | 1,597 | #134 |
| 1940 | — | — | 384 | #285 |
| 1935 | — | — | 170 | #430 |
| 1930 | — | — | 105 | #585 |
| 1925 | — | — | 97 | #645 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,140 | 77 | #746 |
| 1915 | — | — | 72 | #684 |
| 1910 | — | — | 8 | #1,224 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 9 | #918 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 7 | #823 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Craig
- Craig Venter Biologist · b. 1946
- Craig T. Nelson Actor · b. 1944
- Craig Parker Actor · b. 1970
- Craig Mello Biologist · b. 1960
- Craig Armstrong Composer · b. 1959
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Craig mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Craig in 2025?
Craig ranked #1,644 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 102 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Craig?
300,628 babies have been named Craig in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Craig most popular?
Craig peaked in 1960, when 10,744 newborns received the name.
Is Craig a boy or girl name?
Craig is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Craig rising or falling?
Craig is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Craig?
Well-known people named Craig include Craig Venter (biologist), Craig T. Nelson (actor), Craig Parker (actor).