Grayland
A name referring to gray or blond hair color.
Name Census estimates that about 168 living Americans carry the first name Grayland. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Grayland today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Grayland births was 1956 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Grayland. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
168
~ 1 in 2,040,204 Americans
Peak year
1956
19 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
2021 SSA rank
#11,229
Tracked since 1950
Census
Grayland in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 229 people with the first name Grayland, which placed it at #35,223 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#35,223
National first-name rank
People counted
229
229 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
68.6% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grayland
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Grayland is Black at 68.6%. The next largest groups are White (25.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Grayland described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Grayland at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American68.6% · 157
- White25.8% · 59
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 6
- Two or more races1.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Popularity
Grayland: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Grayland from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 103 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Grayland by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Grayland during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Graylands live
Origin
Meaning and history of Grayland
The given name Grayland is a relatively modern name with roots that can be traced back to the early 20th century. It is believed to have originated as a combination of the English words "gray" and "land," suggesting a connection to the natural landscape and the color gray.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Grayland can be found in the United States Census records from the 1920s, where a handful of individuals were listed with this moniker. It is possible that the name was initially inspired by the picturesque town of Grayland, located in Washington state, which sits along the rugged coastline and boasts stunning views of the gray-hued Pacific Ocean.
Although the name Grayland does not have deep historical roots or appearances in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has gained some recognition through notable individuals who have borne this unique name over the years.
One of the earliest known figures with the name Grayland was Grayland Benson (1902-1987), an American economist and academic who served as the president of Claremont Men's College (now Claremont McKenna College) from 1957 to 1970. His leadership and contributions to the field of economics helped establish the name in the public consciousness.
Another individual who carried the name Grayland was Grayland Hume (1909-1978), an American artist and illustrator known for his works depicting the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. His paintings and illustrations often captured the rugged landscapes and coastal scenes, aligning with the possible origins of the name.
In the literary realm, Grayland Hendrick (1927-2014) was an American author and educator who wrote several novels and short stories, including the critically acclaimed work "The Heron Path." His works often explored themes of nature and the human connection to the land, further reinforcing the potential meaning behind the name.
Grayland Sheldon (1938-2019) was a prominent figure in the field of environmental law, serving as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. His dedication to environmental protection and advocacy for sustainable practices resonated with the natural connotations of his name.
One of the more recent individuals to carry the name Grayland is Grayland Arnold (born 1989), an American actor and musician known for his roles in various television shows and films. His unique name has undoubtedly contributed to his memorable persona in the entertainment industry.
While the name Grayland may not have a long and storied history, it has carved out a niche for itself through the accomplishments and contributions of those who have borne this moniker. Its connection to the natural world and the color gray has imbued the name with a sense of earthiness and tranquility, making it a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with a touch of uniqueness.
People
Grayland + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Grayland as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Grayland: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Grayland?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 168 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Grayland going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,040,204 US residents.
Is Grayland a common name?
We classify Grayland as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 202 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Grayland most popular?
The single biggest year for Grayland was 1956, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Grayland is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Grayland in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 229 people with the name Grayland, or 0.08 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #35,223 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Grayland in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Grayland?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Grayland leans strongly male. 220 people counted with this name were male (96.1%), compared with 9 female bearers (3.9%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Grayland?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Grayland is Black at 68.6%. The next largest groups are White (25.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Grayland most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Grayland in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.6% (157 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Grayland in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Grayland a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Grayland in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Grayland still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Grayland in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Grayland can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How common is the name Grayland?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.