Gary
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Spear; Form of Gerald
Background: The name Gary originates from Old English and has Germanic roots. It is often derived from a diminutive form of the name Gerald, which means 'rule of the spear.' The name Gary gained popularity in the 20th century.
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#34
Total births
905,223
Most popular decade
1950s
(992,076 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-567 ranks)
Years in Top 100
56
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
99.6% male
0.4% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 6
- First year rank
- #809
- Peak year
- 1952
- Peak year births
- 38,753
- Peak rank
- #10
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 187
- Recent rank
- #1,128
Female
- First year
- 1915
- First year births
- 6
- First year rank
- #3,795
- Peak year
- 1961
- Peak year births
- 93
- Peak rank
- #1,135
- Most recent year
- 1997
- Recent year births
- 6
- Recent rank
- #12,070
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).