Grady

Grady comes from an Irish surname associated with descent from Grádach, a personal name often interpreted as noble or illustrious. The direct surname meaning is a family relationship. Explaining that step is more precise than assigning the modern given name only the one-word meaning “noble.”

O’Grady preserves the fuller familiar surname form, while Grady works independently as a first name. Gray can be a personal nickname, but its separate English color meaning does not establish Grady’s origin. Families choosing Grady for heritage or an ancestral surname may value that family history more than the exact interpretation of the older personal name.