At a glance
- U.S. rank 2025
- #1,644 of boy names (outside the top 1,000)
- Babies in 2025
- 102 (<0.01% of boys)
- Trend
- Slipping #1,245 in 2020 to #1,644 in 2025
- Peak
- #39 in 1969–1970
- First recorded
- 1881
Meaning of Craig
Craig, pronounced KRAYG (/kreɪɡ/), descends from the Scots-Gaelic creag, “rock,” a meaning echoed by the Latin saxum and evoking the stony Highlands that shaped its first bearers. The name surged in the United States after World War II, cutting a dramatic path from the Top 50 in the early 1960s to a quieter rank in the 800s today, yet its 80-plus newborns in 2024 prove it has not vanished from the national radar. Pop-culture keeps the sound familiar—think British R&B artist Craig David or the hard-edged charisma of actor Daniel Craig—while the surname-turned-given-name pattern lends it modern versatility. With a single syllable and a firm consonant frame, Craig delivers the steady cadence many parents seek in a classic masculine choice, pairing ancient ruggedness with contemporary polish.
How to pronounce Craig
American English
- Pronounced kreg /kreɪɡ/
British English
- Pronounced krayg /kreɪɡ/
Popularity of Craig in the U.S.
Craig was the #1,644 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 102 babies. It peaked at #39 in 1969–1970. It first appears in the records in 1881.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1881–2025 133 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 102 | 1,644 | ▲ 189 |
| 2024 | 88 | 1,833 | ▼ 303 |
| 2023 | 115 | 1,530 | ▼ 34 |
| 2022 | 121 | 1,496 | ▼ 54 |
| 2021 | 125 | 1,442 | ▼ 197 |
| 2020 | 149 | 1,245 | ▼ 232 |
| 2019 | 205 | 1,013 | ▲ 168 |
| 2018 | 161 | 1,181 | ▼ 201 |
| 2017 | 210 | 980 | ▼ 76 |
| 2016 | 238 | 904 | ▲ 4 |
| 2015 | 237 | 908 | ▲ 23 |
| 2014 | 228 | 931 | ▼ 118 |
| 2013 | 268 | 813 | ▼ 35 |
| 2012 | 291 | 778 | ▲ 27 |
| 2011 | 272 | 805 | ▼ 141 |
| 2010 | 362 | 664 | ▲ 2 |
| 2009 | 368 | 666 | ▼ 77 |
| 2008 | 428 | 589 | ▼ 43 |
| 2007 | 471 | 546 | ▲ 1 |
| 2006 | 463 | 547 | ▼ 56 |
| 2005 | 504 | 491 | ▼ 12 |
| 2004 | 523 | 479 | ▼ 55 |
| 2003 | 607 | 424 | ▼ 45 |
| 2002 | 689 | 379 | ▲ 2 |
| 2001 | 682 | 381 | ▼ 42 |
| 2000 | 808 | 339 | ▼ 12 |
| 1999 | 854 | 327 | ▼ 12 |
| 1998 | 880 | 315 | ▼ 58 |
| 1997 | 1,098 | 257 | ▼ 10 |
| 1996 | 1,198 | 247 | ▼ 28 |
| 1995 | 1,355 | 219 | ▼ 21 |
| 1994 | 1,507 | 198 | ▼ 23 |
| 1993 | 1,837 | 175 | ▼ 21 |
| 1992 | 2,070 | 154 | ▼ 19 |
| 1991 | 2,399 | 135 | ▼ 18 |
| 1990 | 2,907 | 117 | ▼ 12 |
| 1989 | 3,155 | 105 | ▼ 9 |
| 1988 | 3,306 | 96 | ▼ 8 |
| 1987 | 3,364 | 88 | ▼ 8 |
| 1986 | 3,926 | 80 | ▼ 1 |
| 1985 | 3,952 | 79 | ▼ 4 |
| 1984 | 3,959 | 75 | ▼ 5 |
| 1983 | 4,084 | 70 | ▲ 3 |
| 1982 | 4,018 | 73 | ▼ 1 |
| 1981 | 4,097 | 72 | ▲ 1 |
| 1980 | 4,234 | 73 | ▲ 4 |
| 1979 | 4,029 | 77 | ▼ 11 |
| 1978 | 4,472 | 66 | ▼ 2 |
| 1977 | 4,560 | 64 | ▼ 3 |
| 1976 | 4,732 | 61 | ▼ 3 |
| 1975 | 5,110 | 58 | ▼ 1 |
| 1974 | 5,539 | 57 | ▼ 9 |
| 1973 | 6,295 | 48 | ▼ 2 |
| 1972 | 6,729 | 46 | ▼ 3 |
| 1971 | 7,957 | 43 | ▼ 4 |
| 1970 | 9,364 | 39 | – |
| 1969 | 8,783 | 39 | ▲ 2 |
| 1968 | 7,858 | 41 | ▲ 5 |
| 1967 | 7,311 | 46 | – |
| 1966 | 7,729 | 46 | – |
| 1965 | 7,877 | 46 | ▲ 2 |
| 1964 | 7,752 | 48 | ▲ 3 |
| 1963 | 7,899 | 51 | – |
| 1962 | 8,544 | 51 | ▼ 8 |
| 1961 | 10,235 | 43 | ▼ 2 |
| 1960 | 10,724 | 41 | ▲ 3 |
| 1959 | 9,933 | 44 | ▲ 9 |
| 1958 | 7,272 | 53 | ▲ 2 |
| 1957 | 7,069 | 55 | ▼ 4 |
| 1956 | 7,422 | 51 | ▼ 1 |
| 1955 | 7,448 | 50 | ▲ 1 |
| 1954 | 7,180 | 51 | ▲ 9 |
| 1953 | 6,459 | 60 | ▼ 1 |
| 1952 | 6,187 | 59 | ▲ 4 |
| 1951 | 5,623 | 63 | ▲ 6 |
| 1950 | 4,888 | 69 | ▲ 8 |
| 1949 | 4,328 | 77 | ▲ 5 |
| 1948 | 3,985 | 82 | ▲ 11 |
| 1947 | 3,640 | 93 | ▲ 15 |
| 1946 | 2,471 | 108 | ▲ 26 |
| 1945 | 1,597 | 134 | ▲ 17 |
| 1944 | 1,321 | 151 | ▲ 13 |
| 1943 | 1,132 | 164 | ▲ 11 |
| 1942 | 892 | 175 | ▲ 60 |
| 1941 | 539 | 235 | ▲ 49 |
| 1940 | 384 | 284 | ▲ 16 |
| 1939 | 348 | 300 | ▲ 7 |
| 1938 | 321 | 307 | ▼ 10 |
| 1937 | 330 | 297 | ▲ 87 |
| 1936 | 205 | 384 | ▲ 46 |
| 1935 | 170 | 430 | ▲ 57 |
| 1934 | 138 | 487 | ▲ 53 |
| 1933 | 111 | 540 | ▲ 36 |
| 1932 | 106 | 576 | ▼ 22 |
| 1931 | 112 | 554 | ▲ 30 |
| 1930 | 105 | 584 | ▼ 4 |
| 1929 | 106 | 580 | ▲ 105 |
| 1928 | 85 | 685 | ▼ 66 |
| 1927 | 102 | 619 | ▲ 93 |
| 1926 | 80 | 712 | ▼ 67 |
| 1925 | 97 | 645 | ▲ 59 |
| 1924 | 87 | 704 | ▼ 108 |
| 1923 | 112 | 596 | ▲ 134 |
| 1922 | 81 | 730 | ▲ 7 |
| 1921 | 80 | 737 | ▲ 7 |
| 1920 | 77 | 744 | ▲ 133 |
| 1919 | 57 | 877 | ▼ 226 |
| 1918 | 89 | 651 | ▲ 182 |
| 1917 | 59 | 833 | ▼ 9 |
| 1916 | 57 | 824 | ▼ 143 |
| 1915 | 72 | 681 | ▲ 203 |
| 1914 | 38 | 884 | ▼ 107 |
| 1913 | 37 | 777 | ▲ 99 |
| 1912 | 26 | 876 | ▲ 162 |
| 1911 | 11 | 1,038 | ▲ 155 |
| 1910 | 8 | 1,193 | ▼ 353 |
| 1909 | 12 | 840 | ▲ 37 |
| 1908 | 10 | 877 | ▲ 122 |
| 1907 | 8 | 999 | ▼ 409 |
| 1906 | 16 | 590 | back (not recorded in 1905) |
| 1904 | 5 | 1,205 | ▼ 295 |
| 1903 | 7 | 910 | ▲ 227 |
| 1902 | 5 | 1,137 | ▼ 194 |
| 1901 | 6 | 943 | ▼ 41 |
| 1900 | 9 | 902 | ▲ 149 |
| 1899 | 5 | 1,051 | back (not recorded in 1897–1898) |
| 1896 | 5 | 1,101 | back (not recorded in 1895) |
| 1894 | 8 | 787 | back (not recorded in 1893) |
| 1892 | 5 | 1,066 | back (not recorded in 1891) |
| 1890 | 7 | 814 | back (not recorded in 1889) |
| 1888 | 7 | 815 | back (not recorded in 1887) |
| 1886 | 5 | 959 | back (not recorded in 1882–1885) |
| 1881 | 5 | 866 | new |
Craig by state
Craig ranks #775 in Louisiana (2025).
Rank by state 6 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 775 | 5 |
| New Jersey | 1,022 | 5 |
| Georgia | 1,096 | 7 |
| Florida | 1,353 | 8 |
| California | 1,829 | 8 |
| Texas | 2,080 | 7 |
Notable people named Craig
- Craig David is an English singer who shot to fame in 1999 with Artful Dodger and went on to release nine studio albums, starting with his hit debut Born to Do It.
- Craig Ferguson is a Scottish American comedian and TV host best known for The Late Late Show, which earned him a Peabody Award.
- Craig Mackail-Smith is a retired striker who now works as a first team coach at Peterborough United.
- Craig Newmark is an American internet entrepreneur who founded Craigslist and later started Craig Newmark Philanthropies.
- Craig Sager was an American sports reporter known for his work with CNN, TBS and TNT from 1981 until his death in 2016.
More people named Craig 5 more
- Craig Mello is an American biologist who shared the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering RNA interference.
- Craig Robinson is an American actor, comedian and musician whose work has earned him nominations for five Screen Actors Guild Awards plus an Independent Spirit Award and a Daytime Emmy.
- Craig T. Nelson is an American actor best known for playing Hayden Fox on the sitcom *Coach* and for voicing Mr. Incredible in *The Incredibles*.
- Craig Stadler is an American pro golfer who won the 1982 Masters and many other titles on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.
- Sir Craig Reedie was a British sports administrator who led the World Anti-Doping Agency and served as a vice president of the International Olympic Committee.