The first name Gareth
A boy’s name from Welsh meaning “old man”, “gentleness”, “gentle”.
Pronounced /ˈɡæɹ.əθ/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Welsh origin
Gareth means “old man”, “gentleness”, “gentle” in Welsh.
Of Old Welsh origin and cognate with the Welsh name Geraint (from Latin Gerontius (“old man”), from Ancient Greek γέρων (gérōn, “old man”)) or perhaps the word gwareddawg, gwaredd (“gentleness”); see gwâr (“gentle”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 6 boys were named Gareth, making it the 3,256th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 373 births (#117).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Gareth with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Gareth at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 46 boys born in the United States were named Gareth, the 2,776th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2016, when 104 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Gareth
23 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Gareth BarryEnglish association football player, born 1981
- Gareth SouthgateEnglish professional football manager and former player (born 1970)
- Gareth EdwardsBritish filmmaker, born 1975
- Gareth GatesBritish singer, born 1984
- Gareth MarriottCanoe racer, born 1970
- Gareth HuntBritish actor (1942–2007)
- Gareth ThomasBritish actor (1945–2016)
- Gareth ThomasEnglish politician (born 1967)
- Gareth AinsworthEnglish professional footballer (born 1973)
- Gareth EvansBritish philosopher (1946–1980)
- Gareth PorterAmerican historian, born 1942
- Gareth EvansAustralian international policymaker and former politician, born 1944
More Welsh boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Gareth mean?
- Gareth means “old man”, “gentleness”, “gentle” in Welsh.
- What is the origin of the name Gareth?
- Of Old Welsh origin and cognate with the Welsh name Geraint (from Latin Gerontius (“old man”), from Ancient Greek γέρων (gérōn, “old man”)) or perhaps the word gwareddawg, gwaredd (“gentleness”); see gwâr (“gentle”).
- How popular is the name Gareth?
- In 2025, 6 boys born in England and Wales were named Gareth, ranking 3,256th. Its peak was 1996, with 373 births.
- What are nicknames for Gareth?
- Common nicknames for Gareth include Gaz.
- Is Gareth a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 4,394 US babies named Gareth since 1880 were boys.
- When was Gareth most popular?
- 2016 in the United States, when 104 babies were named Gareth, its highest rank at 1,580th.
- How do you pronounce Gareth?
- Gareth is /ˈɡæɹ.əθ/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Gareth?
- Garth.