Grant is a Scottish surname that goes back to the Old French grand and means "great" or "tall", first used as a nickname for a big man. Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War general and president, made it a name of American weight, and actor Cary Grant added polish. Grant ranked number 123 in the United States in 2000 and has stayed within the top 250 for the past decade, settling at number 228 in 2025.