Graham
Graham comes from the Old English "granta" (a gravelly river, referring to the River Cam) and "ham" (homestead) — meaning "gravelly homestead." The name began as a surname referring to someone from Grantham in Lincolnshire. As a first name, Graham is essentially modern. Graham was a top-300 American name from 1945 to 2010, peaking at #205 in 1986. Graham (the inventor Alexander Graham Bell, 1847-1922, who patented the telephone in 1876) is the most famous American bearer. Graham (the author Graham Greene, 1904-1991, of "The Power and the Glory" and "The Quiet American") gave the name literary prestige. I find Graham has an elegant, slightly British quality — the "Gr" opening is firm, and the "ham" ending gives it a slight masculine echo. The name has been outside the US top 300 since 2015. Graham is a male name of English (place name) origin that means "Gravelly homestead". Elegant, British, and quietly accomplished. The name sounds historic. Grahams tend to be thoughtful. US peaked #205 in 1986. Outside top 300 since 2015. Well-known people named Graham include Alexander Graham Bell (inventor), Graham Greene (author), Graham (English place name), Graham (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Graham include Graeme (Scottish variant), Grahame (variant), Gram (short form), Gray (nickname).