Gary is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Gary means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Gary across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Gary has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Gary is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “spear”. popularised as a first name in the 20th century.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 905,438 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,562 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 11,342 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 346 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 7,588 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 5,520 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Gary per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1952 (38,839/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1981 (617/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1984 (340/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (235/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (51/yr).
Gary has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1952, when it ranked #16 nationally (given to 38,839 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Cory · Kara · Kari · Garry · Cara · Carey · Cary · Gerry
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