How to say it
GRA · ham
ˈɡreɪ.əm
Masculine
Graham
Gravel homestead
What it means
Old English place name from grand ('gravel') + ham ('homestead'). Originally the surname of a Scottish clan; Alexander Graham Bell, Billy Graham, and the graham cracker each carry a different cultural weight.
Graham is an English place name from Old English grand ('gravel') + ham ('homestead'), originally the village of Grantham in Lincolnshire. The surname spread to Scotland with the medieval William de Graham, becoming the name of a major Scottish clan. Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) invented the telephone. Sylvester Graham (1794-1851) was a Presbyterian minister and dietary reformer whose ideas about whole-grain flour gave us the graham cracker. Evangelist Billy Graham was the most-recognized American Protestant preacher of the 20th century. As a first name Graham has been climbing the US charts since the 2000s. It's been in the US top 200 since 2014. Pronounced GRAY-um (two syllables) in standard English; one syllable in some American usage.
How to spell Graham
The standard spelling is Graham. Common variants include Grahame, Graeme, but Graham is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #120 in 2025, currently #120 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
GRAY-um (two syllables) in standard English; some Americans say GRAM (one syllable). Both common.
- Pop culture
Alexander Graham Bell (the telephone), Billy Graham (the evangelist), and the graham cracker each pull the cultural footprint in different directions.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Alexander Graham Bell Scottish-American inventor of the telephone
- Billy Graham American evangelist, 20th-century Protestant figurehead
Spelling variants
- Grahame
- Graeme
Names with the same feeling
See Graham from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Graham mean?
- Old English place name from grand ('gravel') + ham ('homestead'). Originally the surname of a Scottish clan; Alexander Graham Bell, Billy Graham, and the graham cracker each carry a different cultural weight.
- What does Graham mean in Old English?
- In Old English, Graham means "Gravel homestead." Graham is an English place name from Old English grand ('gravel') + ham ('homestead'), originally the village of Grantham in Lincolnshire. The surname spread to Scotland with the medieval William de Graham, becoming the name of a major Scottish clan. Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) invented the telephone. Sylvester Graham (1794-1851) was a Presbyterian minister and dietary reformer whose ideas about whole-grain flour gave us the graham cracker. Evangelist Billy Graham was the most-recognized American Protestant preacher of the 20th century. As a first name Graham has been climbing the US charts since the 2000s. It's been in the US top 200 since 2014. Pronounced GRAY-um (two syllables) in standard English; one syllable in some American usage.
- How do you pronounce Graham?
- Graham is pronounced ˈɡreɪ.əm. Say it as GRA-ham, with the stress on the "gra" syllable.
- How do you spell Graham?
- The standard spelling is Graham. Common spelling variants include Grahame, Graeme.
- Is Graham a boy or girl name?
- Graham is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Graham?
- Graham ranked #120 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.