Gareth

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Gareth: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Gareth: Recorded every year since 1964, it reached #30 in 1982, and it stood at #2,088 in 2024.

4registrars recorded it
123times a registrar ranked it
61years from first to last
#30highest recorded position
25groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Gareth's record

Ranked every year since 1964, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#117
1997	#130
1998	#172
1999	#185
2000	#222
2001	#250
2002	#237
2003	#270
2004	#388
2005	#445
2006	#504
2007	#684
2008	#684
2009	#923
2010	#854
2011	#958
2012	#977
2013	#1063
2014	#1178
2015	#1511
2016	#1903
2017	#1398
2018	#1786
2019	#2266
2020	#1825
2021	#3451
2022	#2755
2023	#2007
2024	#2088

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 55 of the 58 years from 1964 to 2021.

In 2021: #433 among boys in Northern Ireland, #552 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #3451 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 4 national registrars across 4 regions, 1964–2024 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1971–1989
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1971–1989).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2088 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Gareth appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, which has ranked it in 55 years beginning in 1964, and has registered 2,464 births with the name.

Gareth across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Gareth's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#214 (1964)	#42 (1980)	#552 (2021)	55 of 58	2,464 (1964–2021)	282 (1980)
England and Wales · Boys	#117 (1996)	#117 (1996)	#2088 (2024)	29 of 29	2,092 (1996–2024)	373 (1996)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#47 (1997)	#47 (1997)	#433 (2021)	20 of 25	388 (1997–2021)	75 (1997)
New Zealand · Boys	#90 (1971)	#30 (1982)	#93 (1989)	19 of 19	2,087 (1971–1989)	208 (1982)

Gareth by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Gareth in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	72	6 of 10	12
1970s	748	10 of 10	75
1980sbusiest	929	10 of 10	93
1990s	497	10 of 10	50
2000s	164	10 of 10	16
2010s	46	7 of 10	7
2020s	8	2 of 10	4

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 1980s were its busiest decade, averaging 93 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1979 and 1980, when recorded births rose by 105, from 177 to 282.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Gareth appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1964 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #30 in New Zealand in 1982.

Gareth's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#2088	11	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#2007	11	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#2755	7	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#3451	5	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#1825	12	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#2266	9	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#1786	13	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#1398	18	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#1903	12	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#1511	16	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#1178	22	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#1063	25	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#977	29	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#958	29	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#854	34	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#923	29	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#684	43	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#684	41	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#504	60	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#445	63	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#388	73	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#270	112	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#237	125	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#250	113	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#222	135	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#185	179	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#172	197	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#130	296	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#117	373	High	Verified
1989	New Zealand	male	#93	61	High	Verified
1988	New Zealand	male	#83	65	High	Verified
1987	New Zealand	male	#82	61	High	Verified
1986	New Zealand	male	#64	78	High	Verified
1985	New Zealand	male	#51	101	High	Verified
1984	New Zealand	male	#48	105	High	Verified
1983	New Zealand	male	#38	145	High	Verified
1982	New Zealand	male	#30	208	High	Verified
1981	New Zealand	male	#44	138	High	Verified
1980	New Zealand	male	#33	182	High	Verified
1979	New Zealand	male	#34	180	High	Verified
1978	New Zealand	male	#56	102	High	Verified
1977	New Zealand	male	#63	97	High	Verified
1976	New Zealand	male	#80	76	High	Verified
1975	New Zealand	male	#61	108	High	Verified
1974	New Zealand	male	#77	88	High	Verified
1973	New Zealand	male	#60	117	High	Verified
1972	New Zealand	male	#82	90	High	Verified
1971	New Zealand	male	#90	85	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#433	3	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#421	3	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#281	6	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#303	5	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#273	6	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#311	4	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#267	6	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#191	12	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#291	5	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#199	10	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#124	21	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#149	14	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#137	16	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#100	25	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#96	25	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#87	30	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#101	24	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	male	#67	45	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#60	53	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	male	#47	75	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#552	5	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#741	3	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#646	4	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#749	3	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#382	10	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#448	7	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#379	10	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#623	4	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#422	8	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#472	6	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#267	17	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#404	7	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#271	12	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#213	16	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#177	21	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#228	12	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#168	22	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#156	21	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#133	30	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	male	#144	23	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	male	#130	27	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	male	#99	50	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#104	54	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	male	#96	56	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	male	#110	44	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	male	#95	61	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	male	#97	59	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	male	#91	64	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	male	#95	59	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	male	#88	61	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	male	#91	57	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	male	#96	60	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	male	#122	34	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	male	#112	43	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	male	#93	60	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	male	#91	64	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	male	#81	89	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	male	#55	179	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	male	#42	282	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	male	#57	177	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	male	#74	105	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	male	#84	83	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	male	#105	52	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	male	#108	44	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	male	#98	65	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	male	#94	73	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	male	#102	58	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	male	#107	48	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	male	#102	43	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	male	#125	25	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	male	#127	20	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	male	#176	9	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	male	#159	10	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	male	#222	4	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	male	#214	4	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 4 registrars between 1964 and 2024, ranked in 61 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #30, first reached in 1982.

It held a top-100 place in 30 years, 23 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 373 births, registered in England and Wales in 1996.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1971, and 33 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Galina · #241, 39y
Gard · #117, 69y
Garret · #121, 35y
Garreth · #112, 39y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 4 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Aine · #27, 61y
Melinda · #33, 61y
Ciaran · #23, 62y
Cormac · #37, 62y

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1960 and 1969.

Alexis · #30, 41y
Dermot · #30, 60y
Synne · #30, 61y
Brendon · #31, 57y

Gareth was ranked #30 in New Zealand · Boys in 1982. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Gareth and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Gareth without appearing here.

Gareth moved ahead of

Craig Compare
In 2022 they stood at #2755 and #1692 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2023 that had become #2007 and #2325.
Gregory Compare
In 2020 they stood at #741 and #741 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2021 that had become #552 and #755.
Kenneth Compare
In 2020 they stood at #741 and #637 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2021 that had become #552 and #755.
Ross Compare
In 2022 they stood at #2755 and #1366 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2023 that had become #2007 and #2160.

Moved ahead of Gareth

Andrea Compare
In 2020 they stood at #1825 and #1935 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2021 that had become #3451 and #1860.
Rune Compare
In 2020 they stood at #1825 and #2228 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2021 that had become #3451 and #2125.
Darragh Compare
In 2018 they stood at #1786 and #1991 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2019 that had become #2266 and #974.
Murray Compare
In 2018 they stood at #1786 and #1991 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2019 that had become #2266 and #1316.

Moved the opposite way to Gareth

Benjamin Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 while Benjamin went from #139 to #66.
Conor Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 while Conor went from #56 to #4.
Daniel Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 while Daniel went from #19 to #8.
James Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 while James went from #5 to #3.

Moved the same way as Gareth

Alfred Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 and Alfred from #134 to #336.
George Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 and George from #52 to #84.
Henry Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 and Henry from #60 to #108.
Ronan Compare
Between 1964 and 2021 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gareth went from #214 to #552 and Ronan from #67 to #97.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1964 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #30 in New Zealand in 1982. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Gareth

Gareth at a glance

What stands out in Gareth's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Gareth across 4 official records

Gareth by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Gareth appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Gareth

Gareth and the names beside it

Gareth moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Gareth

Moved the opposite way to Gareth

Moved the same way as Gareth

Gareth at a glance

What stands out in Gareth's record

Gareth across 4 official records

Gareth by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Gareth appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Gareth

Gareth and the names beside it

Gareth moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Gareth

Moved the opposite way to Gareth

Moved the same way as Gareth