Given name & surname · also Germanic
Gary
“one who wields a spear”
Gary is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “one who wields a spear.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “one who wields a spear.”
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Germanic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
Gary is an affectionate form of Gareth. In English usage, Gary is a short form of Gareth.
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
Gary through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 905,438
- 902,152 boys · 3,286 girls
- Most popular year
- 1952
- 38,839 babies
- 2025
- 201
- #1,073 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −40%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 201 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,073 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 40.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 38,754 in 1952. In 2025, California and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (18 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 656,593 as a first name in 2020; 20,528 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.
Gary’s family of names
In English usage, Gary is a diminutive of Gareth. Gary has an alternative spelling in Garry. In English usage, Gary has a related form in Garry.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Gary
- Gary OldmanBritish actor and filmmaker (born 1958)
- Gary CooperAmerican actor (1901–1961)
- Gary LinekerEnglish football pundit and former playerborn 1960
- Gary SiniseAmerican actorborn 1955
- Gary ColemanAmerican actor (1968–2010)
- Gary BeckerAmerican economist (1930-2014)
- Gary NevilleEnglish football pundit and former playeborn 1975
- Gary CahillEnglish association football player (born 1985)
- Gary RuvkunAmerican geneticistborn 1952
Characters named Gary: Gary Oak (the Pokémon franchise), Superintendent Chalmers (The Simpsons character), Gary Ewing (the soap opera Knots Landing).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Gary, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Gerard
“one who is mighty with a spear”
>99% boys
Gale
“a foreigner” · “one who is cheerful”
85% boys · 15% girls
Randy
“lustful”
99% boys · 1% girls
Daryl
“one who is greatly loved”
99% boys · 1% girls
Guy
“a warrior; from the wood” · “a lively man”
>99% boys
Gerald
“one who rules with the spear”
>99% boys
Artis
“lofty hill; noble” · “rock”
94% boys · 6% girls
Roger
“fame-spear”
>99% boys