Craig
Boy name · #1646 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Craig? In official American birth records, Craig has been tracked continuously since 1881, giving it 144 years of documented American history.
Craig ranks #1646 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 102 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #908, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,647 boys born in 2025 was named Craig.
Babies named Craig per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 144-year story
Craig first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 10,724 boys were named Craig — good for #41 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Craig against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Craig in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Craig is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Craig will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Craig is most common
State-level data for Craig is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Craig
Statistically, parents drawn to Craig tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Daryl, Carl, Barry, Steve, and Cliff.
DarylCarlBarrySteveCliffGlennDwayneKarl
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Craig | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 102 | #1644 |
| 2024 | 88 | #1833 |
| 2023 | 115 | #1530 |
| 2022 | 121 | #1496 |
| 2021 | 125 | #1442 |
| 2020 | 149 | #1245 |
| 2019 | 205 | #1013 |
| 2018 | 161 | #1181 |
| 2017 | 210 | #980 |
| 2016 | 238 | #904 |
| 2015 | 237 | #908 |
| 2014 | 228 | #931 |
| 2013 | 268 | #813 |
| 2012 | 291 | #778 |
| 2011 | 272 | #805 |
| 2010 | 362 | #664 |
| 2009 | 368 | #666 |
| 2008 | 428 | #589 |
| 2007 | 471 | #546 |
| 2006 | 463 | #547 |
| 2005 | 504 | #491 |
| 2004 | 523 | #479 |
| 2003 | 607 | #424 |
| 2002 | 689 | #379 |
| 2001 | 682 | #381 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Craig?
In official American birth records, the name Craig first appeared in 1881 (over 144 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Craig a popular boy name?
Craig ranked #1646 among boys in 2025 with 102 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #908.
When was the name Craig most popular?
Craig peaked in 1960, when 10,724 American boys received the name (ranked #41 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Craig?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,647 newborn American boys was named Craig. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.