Gary
Gary is a girl's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Spear or spear bearer.
Origin and history
Gary is historically derived from an Old English name element meaning spear. Although primarily used for males, it saw occasional use for females in the United States during the mid-20th century. It is now rarely given to baby girls in the U.S.
Popularity in the United States
3,286 babies in the United States have been named Gary since 1880. It ranks #3104 all-time.
States where it is most popular
- CA (23.5 %)
- NY (18.2 %)
- TX (11 %)
- OH (10.2 %)
- GA (5.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 25 |
| 1920-1930 | 59 |
| 1930-1940 | 220 |
| 1940-1950 | 637 |
| 1950-1960 | 757 |
| 1960-1970 | 696 |
| 1970-1980 | 486 |
| 1980-1990 | 334 |
| 1990-2000 | 72 |
| 2000-2010 | 0 |
| 2010-2019 | 0 |
| 2020-2029 | 0 |
Famous people named Gary
- Gary Wright: Singer, Songwriter
Fun facts
- Derived from the Germanic element 'gar', meaning spear, often associated with names like Elgar or Garret.
- While predominantly given to boys, Gary experienced a minor wave of female usage in the U.S. during the 1940s and 1950s.