Grayson

A medieval bailiff's son — the English surname Grayson likely meant just that, "son of the grieve," with grieve being an old word for a steward or overseer. The name lived on family trees for centuries before American parents pulled it forward in the 2000s, drawn to its crisp two-syllable shape and the ready nickname Gray. It has climbed steadily and now sits at rank 48 in the United States. Two consonant-rich syllables, a long opening A, and a firm closing N. Preppy in reputation but with a flinty edge — the kind of name you'd expect on a boy who asks good questions and never quite stops taking things apart.