The first name Gary
A boy’s name meaning “spear”.
Pronounced /ˈɡæɹ.i/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Gary means “spear”.
Medieval short form of Germanic compound names beginning with gari or geri ("spear"), such as Gerard, Garrett, Gerald, or Gerbert. Cognate with the Scottish and Irish name Garaidh. Sometimes also a short form of Gareth. The popularity of the given name in the 20th century is due to the American actor Gary Cooper, whose stage name was invented by his agent, a native of Gary, Indiana.
More names that mean sword.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 6 boys were named Gary, making it the 3,256th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 235 births (#147).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Gary with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Gary at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 201 boys born in the United States were named Gary, the 1,073rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1952, when 38,754 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.
Gary in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Gary in Tagalog too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Gary
268 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Gary OldmanBritish actor and filmmaker (born 1958)
- Gary CooperAmerican actor (1901–1961)
- Gary LinekerEnglish football pundit and former player, born 1960
- Gary SiniseAmerican actor, born 1955
- Gary ColemanAmerican actor (1968–2010)
- Gary S. BeckerAmerican economist (1930-2014)
- Gary NevilleEnglish football pundit and former playe, born 1975
- Gary CahillEnglish association football player (born 1985)
- Gary RuvkunAmerican geneticist, born 1952
- Gary BuseyAmerican actor (born 1944)
- Francis Gary PowersAmerican pilot shot down flying a U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union (1929-1977)
- Gary PaytonAmerican basketball player (born 1968)
Questions
- What does the name Gary mean?
- Gary means “spear”.
- How popular is the name Gary?
- In 2025, 6 boys born in England and Wales were named Gary, ranking 3,256th. Its peak was 1996, with 235 births.
- What are nicknames for Gary?
- Common nicknames for Gary include Gaz.
- Is Gary a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 905,438 US babies named Gary since 1880 were boys.
- When was Gary most popular?
- 1952 in the United States, when 38,754 babies were named Gary, its highest rank at 10th.
- How do you pronounce Gary?
- Gary is /ˈɡæɹ.i/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Gary?
- Garry.
- Is Gary also a surname?
- Yes. Gary is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.