The baby name Griffin stepped out of history and myth to become a favorite for boys today.
Thanks to Corinne for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME GRIFFIN MEAN?
The baby name Griffin is old Welsh origin.
It comes from Grifud or grippiud, meaning lord or prince. The first element might mean strong, so “strong lord” or “strong ruler” is sometimes given as the meaning.
Appropriately, the original Griffin ruled Wales during the eleventh century, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn.
The name is also Anglicized as Griffith or sometimes Griffey.
There’s a second appealing meaning: a gryphon is a mythical creature.
Commonly used in heraldry, the beast combines the body of a lion with the beak and wings of an eagle.
John Milton referenced one in Paradise Lost. The Persian poet Rumi desribed gryphons, too. In the game Dungeons & Dragons, a griffon is a magical creature. Gryphons guard the entrance to the City of London and serve as symbols of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You’ll find them on many a building.
They’re widely considered noble beasts, as powerful as the mash-up of a lion and an eagle suggests. Often charged with guarding treasure, they’re trustworthy, too.
The creature’s name comes from the Greek grypos, or hooked, describing that prominent beak.
But the creature and the name have been linked for centuries. During the 1100s, the Dukes of Pomerania were known as the Griffins or Greifen Dynasty. Sure enough, they used a gryphon as their symbol.
GRIFFIN AS A SURNAME
Famous people have worn the surname Griffin over the years, including:
- Television’s late Merv Griffin
- Comedian Kathy Griffin
- Novelist W.E.B. Griffin
- HG Wells’ Invisible Man – sometimes given a first name in film adaptations, but referred to simply as Griffin in the novel
- The Family Guy clan wear the surname
- Lorne Greene played P.I. Wade “Griff” Griffin on a short-lived television series in the 1970s
The name has been in occasional use as a first name for years, too. Georgia-born Griffin Bell served as US Attorney General during the Jimmy Carter administration.
GRIFFIN IN POP CULTURE
Popular television series Bonanza was in its final season from 1972-73. A young Tim Matheson played a character a called Griff King.
Oscar-nominated American actor Griffin Dunne’s career has spanned decades, from 1981’s An American Werewolf in London to 2025’s Been Caught Stealing.
1990s staple Party of Five gave us Griffin Holbrook, Julia’s boyfriend.
From 2008 to 2013, television series The Secret Life of the American Teenager chronicled the lives of student at fictional Grant High School. Griffin was among the characters, played by Brando Eaton.
Slipknot singer Corey Taylor has a son named Griffin, now also a musician.
None of those are seimsic events, though television characters and the like often prove influential.
It’s possible that Griffin, like Finley and Finnegan, rose thanks to the popularity of possible nickname Finn.
Another option? Just like Luna surged in the rankings, the baby name Griffin might out its success to the Wizarding World. Harry Potter readers know that he was sorted into Gryffindor House at Hogwarts.
That makes the long-standing book and movie series another possible explanation for a rise in little Griffins.
POPULARITY OF THE NAME GRIFFIN
Becuase the baby name Griffin did rise beginning in the 1980s.
According to US Social Security Administration data, the baby name Griffin had a long history of use, appearing in small numbers as far back as the 1880s, when information is first reported.
It looks like Bonanza’s use of the character name Griff gave Griffin a mini-boost during the 1970s. Actor Griffin Dunne might deserve credit for the name’s debut in the US Top 1000 in 1983.
Or maybe Griffin just fit. The 1980s were the era of Jason and Kevin, Ryan and Justin. With parents shortlisting names like Brandon and Gavin, Griffin sounded like an obvious choice.
By 1998, the baby name Griffin reached #215. It fell slightly, but as of 2024, charted at #223 – still close to that all-time high.
If Griffin felt novel and interesting during the 1980s, today it has mellowed into an established, familiar, modern traditional choice for a son.
Worth noting: in 2024, 15 boys were also named Gryphon, borrowing the spelling directly from the fabled monster.
STRENGTH AND STYLE
The baby name Griffin blends a strong sound and meaning with a touch of muscular fantasy. It’s hard to argue that a half eagle/half lion is anything other than fierce.
But it’s very much within the range of mainstream choices for boys now.
That makes this a sweet spot kind of name – not too popular, not too out-there. Easy to spell and pronounce, and versatile enough for a child or an adult, a boxer or a scientist.
No surprise it’s remained a steady favorite for years.
What do you think of the baby name Griffin?
First published on September 4, 2009, this post was revised on January 8, 2026.
Hi, dear all
I named My son as Griffin
We named our son, Griffin with the middle name James. He is now 11 years old. For us it blends his British and Irish ancestry (from both sides) with his Spanish last name, Perez. He is tall, blond, kind, and does not share his name with anyone else at school or in sports. In particular, our male friends and coaches seem to really like his name, calling him “Griff.” I like the fact that it is not too cute as I see too many moms name their boys “cute” names which eventually become girls’ names ( Bailey, Riley, Cody, Hayden, Jayden…) As a teacher of 30 plus years I can tell you that boys HATE having names that they share with girls. Remember, baby boys grow into teens!
By the way, he loves his name and the fact that he does not have to sit in class with the same name as so many other boys.
Ha my wife is due in a few days. we have struggled the whole pregnancy to find a name we both liked. I suggested Griffin today and she loved it. Looks like we Are having a Griffin James also.
I also really dislike all the “yden” names.
My hubby is Gryphon. It’s a nickname he was bestowed in Jr. High that he adopted when he left for college as a way of breaking from his family (and legal name). I love that its etymology roots are Greek since both of our kids ended up with Greek names. 🙂