Given name & surname · also English
Garnett
“resembling the dark-red gem”·“one who wields a spear”
Garnett is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “resembling the dark-red gem” and “one who wields a spear”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “resembling the dark-red gem” and “one who wields a spear”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with English and French naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1881. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Garnett through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,641
- 3,857 boys · 2,784 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 186 babies
- 2025
- 5
- #12,653 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +100%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 100% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 12,653 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 87 in 1920. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,226 as a first name in 2020; 10,103 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.
Garnett’s family of names
Garnett has a related form in Garnet. Garnett has a related form in Garette. Garnett has a related form in Garnete.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Garnett
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Garnett, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Garvin
“a friend with a spear”
>99% boys
Garland
“decorated with a wreath of flowers” · “one who is crowned”
86% boys · 14% girls
Gardner
“one who works the earth” · “the keeper of the garden”
97% boys · 3% girls
Gaston
“a man from Gascony”
>99% boys
Guido
“one who acts as a guide”
>99% boys
Garner
“one who gathers or keeps grain”
83% boys · 17% girls
Elbert
“a wellborn man” · “a bright man”
>99% boys
General
“a military leader”
>99% boys