How to say it
GRANT
/ɡrænt/
Masculine
Grant
Tall, great
What it means
From the Anglo-Norman grand ('tall, great'), used as a descriptive surname. Ulysses S. Grant (the Civil War general and 18th president) and Cary Grant (the actor) are the two cultural anchors.
Grant comes from the Anglo-Norman French grand ('tall, large, great'), used as a descriptive surname for someone of imposing stature. The Scottish Clan Grant carried the name through medieval and modern Scotland. Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the Union commanding general who accepted Lee's surrender at Appomattox and then served two terms as the 18th US president, is the deepest American anchor — his face is on the $50 bill. Cary Grant (born Archibald Leach, the British-American actor of North by Northwest and Notorious) gave the name 20th-century glamour. As a first name Grant has been in the US top 200 since the 1980s. Single syllable, no shorter form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #115 in 1997, currently #228 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Ulysses S. Grant (Civil War + president) and Cary Grant (Hollywood golden age) are the two indelible English-language anchors.
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.
- Ulysses S. Grant Union commanding general, 18th US president, on the $50 bill
- Cary Grant British-American actor, North by Northwest and Notorious
Spelling variants
- Grantley
Names with the same feeling
See Grant from another angle
By style