I was named after Cary Grant, the English-American actor from the early 20th century. He was my mom’s favorite actor and inspired her to work in the film industry, which greatly influenced my adolescence, career interests, and hobbies like making short films. However, Cary and I differ in personality—he was a true artist, mastering multiple instruments and starring in films for over four decades. In contrast, I’m more left-brained, drawn to math, and failing in the arts. While we share some similarities, creativity isn’t one of them, and I see myself more on the management side of the entertainment industry.

The name Grant has had roughly the same popularity for the last century and a half. In 1900, Grant was the 218th most popular name, and just last year Grant was the 228th most popular name ("Popularity"). There have been highs and lows, but generally, Grant stays around 0.084 percent of total male births. The year I was born it was more popular, ranking at 156th.

Despite its steady popularity, Grant lacks well-known nicknames. I have never had a nickname related to my name. Some people’s names are shortened to something cute; however, there isn’t much space to get creative with Grant. People resort to GM, my initials, or unrelated nicknames like Zoolander or Tiger. Personally, I’ve always liked these nicknames because of a reaction I got to my name that shaped me for months. My AP Psychology teacher once said, “Grant is just such a sharp name,” with no further explanation. I am still trying to figure out what that means and in what context he meant sharp. Honestly, it affected me mentally. This incident led me to dislike my name for some time; nevertheless, I have recently grown to like it. This was due to a change in mindset, never letting things I cannot control keep me down. My name is unique. There aren’t many other Grants in the communities I’ve lived in, and I have even been receiving compliments on it lately.

Grant is a historically average name, and while it may not define who I am, I’ve grown to appreciate it. It subtly connects me to my French heritage, a part of my background that often goes unnoticed. More importantly, it carries a personal history—one tied to my mother’s passion for film and the career path that shaped my upbringing. Over time, I’ve realized that while a name may not dictate identity, it can still hold significance in ways we don’t always expect. And for that, I’m glad to be named Grant.

Works Cited

“Cary Grant | Actor, Producer, Soundtrack.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000026/. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025. 

“Cary Grant - Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000026/bio/. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025. 

“Grant Aleksander | Actor, Director.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0017875/. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025. 

“Grant.” Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity, 31 Jan. 2025, www.thebump.com/b/grant-baby-name. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.

“Grant Hill Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More.” Basketball-Reference.Com, https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hillgr01.html. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025. 

“Popularity of name Grant.” U.S. Social Security Administration Baby Name Database, U.S. Social Security Administration, n.d., ssa.gov/oact/babynames, Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

Morin, Grant. Selfie of Grant Morin. 29 June. 2024. Grant's personal collection.