Gary
Gary is a boy's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Spear or spear thrower.
Origin and history
Gary originated as an English surname derived from a Germanic given name based on the element 'gar', meaning spear. It experienced massive popularity in the U.S. during the mid-20th century, becoming a top ten name for boys in the 1940s and 1950s. Today, it is much less common for newborns but remains a classic, recognizable name.
Popularity in the United States
902,152 babies in the United States have been named Gary since 1880. It ranks #34 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #908.
States where it is most popular
- CA (8.6 %)
- NY (7 %)
- OH (6.3 %)
- PA (5.5 %)
- MI (5.5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 54 |
| 1890-1900 | 102 |
| 1900-1910 | 142 |
| 1910-1920 | 562 |
| 1920-1930 | 1,515 |
| 1930-1940 | 43,596 |
| 1940-1950 | 217,772 |
| 1950-1960 | 329,933 |
| 1960-1970 | 166,031 |
| 1970-1980 | 68,261 |
| 1980-1990 | 40,230 |
| 1990-2000 | 19,194 |
| 2000-2010 | 8,879 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,512 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,369 |
Famous people named Gary
- Gary Cooper: Actor
- Gary Oldman: Actor, Filmmaker
- Gary Sinise: Actor, Musician
Nicknames
Gare, Gaz
Fun facts
- Gary ranked among the top 10 most popular names for U.S. boys throughout the late 1940s and 1950s.
- Actor Gary Cooper helped popularize the name after taking his stage name from Gary, Indiana.