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.
Every guy would like to have this last name!
While I admire Griffin as a last name, the first time I heard a parents calling her young tot by it in a bookstore I grimaced slightly — to me it’s irrevocably tied to the mythical beast. Also, it seems to be becoming extremely popular. So while I don’t hate it, and do acknowledge that it has some appeal, I couldn’t ever see myself using Griffin for any of my offspring.
This is my last name! And I love having it as a last name, but I don’t think I’d ever give it as a first name. I’ve thought about using it as a middle name, but it’s so strongly “last name” for me that I don’t know.
I really like Griffin but think its seriously on the upswing. With the new school year upon us we suddenly know 3 Griffins. Only one of which is a baby but still — I think this one is bound for top 50.
My husband has a cousin named Griffin. I always thought it was a horrible name. It has that harsh GR sound and isn’t particularly pleasant to look at either. I think it should keep its last name status only.
I really love Griffin. I can completely see myself using it, hubby isn’t so sure. Love the nickname Finn and like Griff quite a bit, too. I like what you said about how it’s solidly masculine, but not over the top. That’s hard to find in a boys’ name if you don’t want something too popular. I think this is a really strong choice.
I’m sorry, I meant to write Welsh and I wrote Scottish. Argg, my brain has been loopy all day.
I like the name Griffin quite a bit. I just wouldn’t use it because I don’t think it suits my culture. I think of Griffin as a very Scottish name, and I can’t really picture on a child who doesn’t at least have some Scottish heritage. I know, that sounds weird.
My son’s name is Griffin and our last name is Perez. He does have some Celtic ancestry but we chose the name for many of the same reasons given in the article and it has turned out to be a wonderful choice. Unique but not unheard of, masculine and never used by girls, it is a name that is also no too trendy. He is now 12 and the name is aging perfectly. As a school teacher of almost 30 years I can tell you that I have seen so many name trends come and go. So many of the boys names ending in “y” or are “soft” sounding names become girls names over time. Be very leary of “cute” boys names; they do not age well.
Griffin loves his name. So it seems do most of the kids and adults he comes in contact with. It is certainly a name that works as the child matures, and will work into adulthood . He won’t have too many Griffin’s in his classes, no girls with that name, it won’t be mispronounced, and the nicknames are cool ( Griffi when young, Griff or Finn when older.) No regrets on this choice!
I know a young Griffin (nn Griff) and I always think of gryphons when I hear the name. It’s an extremely Welshy name and was on a long list some time ago for us (back when we were having our first and did not yet know the gender)… mostly for the fact that it is Welsh like our last name… and it was quickly struck off the list. I like it, but don’t love it. It seems a better name for a dog than a child to me, somehow. But it’s not bad on humans.
As my brother in law has officially gotten me hooked on Family Guy, I only think of the Griffin clan when I here the name. On the upside, it reminds me of the adorably evil Stewie!