Given name & surname
Gardner
“one who works the earth”·“the keeper of the garden”
Gardner is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who works the earth” (English) and “the keeper of the garden” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who works the earth” (English) and “the keeper of the garden” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Gardner through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,026
- 3,016 boys · 10 girls
- Most popular year
- 1915
- 65 babies
- 2025
- 24
- #5,094 for boys · #15,692 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +48%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 19 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,094 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 40.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 65 in 1915. It also appeared in 5 birth records for girls in 2025. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,459 as a first name in 2020; 137,379 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Gardner’s family of names
Gardner has a related form in Gardy. Gardner has a related form in Gardiner. Gardner has a related form in Gardell.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Gardner
- Gardner DozoisAmerican science fiction editor (1947–2018)
- Gardner FoxAmerican comics writer and novelist (1911–1986)
- Gardner WilliamsAmerican swimmer (1877-1933)
- Gardner McKayAmerican actor and artist (1932-2001)
- Gardner Boultbeesailor (1907-1980)
- Gardner ReadAmerican composer (1913-2005)
- Gardner MinshewAmerican football player (born 1996)
- Gardner MurphyAmerican psychologist (1895–1979)
- Gardner Quincy ColtonAmerican showman 1814-1898
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Gardner, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Garnett
“resembling the dark-red gem” · “one who wields a spear”
>99% boys
Garner
“one who gathers or keeps grain”
83% boys · 17% girls
Webster
“a weaver”
>99% boys
Garland
“decorated with a wreath of flowers” · “one who is crowned”
86% boys · 14% girls
Sumner
“a legal official; one who serves summons”
82% boys · 18% girls
Lester
“roman fort” · “a man from Leicester”
>99% boys
Garvin
“a friend with a spear”
>99% boys
Elmer
“a renowned and noble man”
>99% boys