Graeme

Meaning of Graeme

Graeme, a masculine given name of Anglo-Scottish provenance, represents the Scottish orthographic variant of the English surname-turned-forename Graham, itself originating from the Old English toponym Grantham—literally “gravel homestead”—introduced to England by Norman settlers and later borne by Thomas de Graham, a 12th-century figure of Anglo-Norman nobility. In phonetic terms, Graeme is realized in Scottish English as /ɡreɪm/ (GRAYM), perfectly isomorphic in sound with its Graham counterpart while retaining a distinctive orthographic identity that conveys both historical depth and cultural specificity. An examination of Social Security Administration data reveals that Graeme’s recorded usage in the United States emerged sporadically in the 1930s, declined to a mid-century nadir around the 1940s and 1950s, and then underwent a gradual revival from the 1970s onward; over the last decade its annual birth occurrences have fluctuated modestly between 30 and 65, corresponding to SSA ranks within the 853–906 range, culminating in 30 documented newborns and a rank of 894 in 2024. Consequently, Graeme persists as a technically precise yet niche appellation within the contemporary Anglo-American onomastic landscape, its sustained presence indicative of a small but discerning demographic drawn to its etymological authenticity and restrained elegance.