Gary

maleGermanic (surname origin)

An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana.

Origin: Germanic (surname origin)

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1952 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #8 in New South Wales, Australia in 1952. See regions.

Gary: Recorded every year since 1952, its highest recorded position is #8, and it stood at #3,256 in 2025.

6registrars recorded it
167times a registrar ranked it
74years from first to last
#8highest recorded position
29groupings it qualifies for
34names it appears alongside

What stands out in Gary's record

Ranked every year since 1952, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Held a top-100 place for 51 years running. Names by top-100 run
Appears alongside 34 other names across 6 kinds of recorded relationship. All recorded relationships
Shares a published list with another name across 73 years. Longest shared records

GARR-ee/ˈɡæɹ.i/

Compare Gary Run Name Checker on Gary

Data Confidence

Evidence: ModerateCompleteness: SubstantialEditorial review: 2026-07-21

Confidence in the evidencebehind this name's data — never a rating of the name itself, and never affected by how well it matches your preferences. How this is assessed

Because: backed by officially or academically authoritative sources, recently verified, popularity data covers multiple regions.

Source authority

Averaged from the real per-claim source-authority assessments already computed for this name's meaning/origin/pronunciation/popularity evidence.

Independent corroboration

Averaged from the real per-claim supporting-source counts already computed for this name's evidence.

See full evidence assessment (8 dimensions, 1 not yet tracked)

Source agreement

No recorded source disagreement for this name's meanings or origins.

Recency

Calculated from how long ago this record was last verified (2026-07-21), against a 270-day staleness threshold.

Geographic relevance

Calculated from the number of geographies with official popularity data (6) — broader official coverage means the evidence base is relevant to more of where the name is actually used.

Completeness

Calculated from how many of the expected data sections (variants, similar names, popularity, notable usage, IPA pronunciation) are actually populated for this name.

Direct observation vs. inference

Averaged from the real per-claim direct-observation-vs-inference ratios already computed for this name's evidence.

Identity & variant resolution quality

Cross-source identity and variant resolution requires HEKNO Knowledge, which isn't connected yet.

Name Characteristics

How these are calculated

Descriptive attributes of the name itself — not a confidence measurement, and not an overall quality score. Namewise doesn't approve or disapprove of names.

Pronunciation clarity

Editorial judgement of how consistently this name is pronounced correctly on first read, mapped from an easy/moderate/variable rating to a number. Describes the name — not a measure of evidence confidence.

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling: shorter names with fewer irregular letter clusters score higher. A disclosed formula, not an editorial opinion — and not a confidence measurement.

Recorded regional spread

Derived from how many geographies' official statistics record this name. It measures where the name is registered, not how well-known it feels to people living there.

International spread

Derived from the same official statistical coverage, scaled to reflect how widely the name crosses national datasets. Not a measure of how easily it is understood in another language.

Trend stability

Derived from the name's traditional/modern classification and its current popularity trend direction.

Overview

Origin: Germanic (surname origin)
Meaning: An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana.
Pronunciation: GARR-ee
Syllables: 2
Common nicknames: None recorded
Classification: Traditional & modern
Gender usage: male
Language family: Germanic (surname origin)

Popularity

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2025

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#147
1997	#192
1998	#208
1999	#261
2000	#321
2001	#337
2002	#392
2003	#379
2004	#394
2005	#574
2006	#592
2007	#664
2008	#746
2009	#576
2010	#897
2011	#1024
2012	#977
2013	#1001
2014	#889
2015	#1159
2016	#1050
2017	#1097
2018	#1455
2019	#1253
2020	#2076
2021	#1329
2022	#2018
2023	#2546
2024	#2671
2025	#3256

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 60 of the 61 years from 1964 to 2024.

In 2024: #619 among boys in Scotland, #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #2671 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 6 national registrars across 6 regions, 1952–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3256 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys

Gary appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, with 60 ranked years and 7,588 births registered; the earliest is New South Wales, Australia · Boys, from 1952.

Gary across 5 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.

Gary'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	#84 (1964)	#25 (1991)	#785 (2024)	60 of 61	7,588 (1964–2024)	340 (1984)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#8 (1952)	#8 (1952)	#88 (1984)	31 of 33	10,282 (1952–1984)	834 (1952)
England and Wales · Boys	#147 (1996)	#147 (1996)	#3256 (2025)	30 of 30	1,581 (1996–2025)	235 (1996)
New Zealand · Boys	#21 (1954)	#19 (1956)	#94 (1981)	25 of 28	5,520 (1954–1981)	363 (1957)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#57 (1997)	#57 (1997)	#352 (2022)	20 of 26	346 (1997–2022)	51 (1997)

Gary 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 Gary in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	454	6 of 10	76
1970s	1,603	10 of 10	160
1980sbusiest	3,090	10 of 10	309
1990s	1,892	10 of 10	189
2000s	411	10 of 10	41
2010s	120	10 of 10	12
2020s	18	4 of 10	5

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 1980s were its busiest decade, averaging 309 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1997 and 1998, when recorded births fell by 86, from 155 to 69.

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

Gary appears in

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

What the record shows

Recorded by 6 registrars between 1952 and 2025, ranked in 74 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #8, first reached in 1952.

It held a top-100 place in 51 years, 51 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 834 births, registered in New South Wales, Australia in 1952.

1 registrar ranked it inside their own top 10.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1954, and 72 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.

Gary was ranked #8 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys in 1952. 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.

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.

Garth · #240, 15y
Garvan · #193, 22y
Gaspard · #2027, 17y
Gauri · #2233, 21y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 6 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.

Gregory · #7, 74y
Ada · #6, 76y
Craig · #6, 73y
Gerard · #10, 72y

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1950 and 1959.

Alex · #8, 66y
Kevin · #8, 74y
Scott · #8, 69y
Wendy · #8, 74y

Comparisons involving Gary

Existing comparison pages where Gary and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside Gary in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Gary vs Eoin
In 1964 they stood at #84 and #83 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #785 and #105.
Gary · Eoin · 60 shared years, 1964–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Republic of Ireland ranking
Shane vs Gary
In 1964 they stood at #75 and #84 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #150 and #785.
Shane · Gary · 60 shared years, 1964–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Republic of Ireland ranking
Gary vs Simon
In 1964 they stood at #84 and #91 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #785 and #275.
Gary · Simon · 60 shared years, 1964–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Republic of Ireland ranking

Closest long-running positions

Names that stayed close to Gary within one registrar's list over many years. A gap measured inside that list, never across registrars.

Gary vs Geoffrey
Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gary and Geoffrey averaged 5.7 places apart, ending at #85 and #95.
Gary · Geoffrey · 30 shared years, 1952–1983 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1983 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Gary vs Alan
Across 25 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Gary and Alan averaged 6.1 places apart, ending at #94 and #98.
Gary · Alan · 25 shared years, 1954–1981 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1981 New Zealand ranking
Gary vs Bruce
Across 24 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Gary and Bruce averaged 6.2 places apart, ending at #89 and #97.
Gary · Bruce · 24 shared years, 1954–1980 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1980 New Zealand ranking

Order changes

Pairs where Gary and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Gary vs Justin
In New Zealand · Boys, Justin moved into the top 50 at #34 in 1971 as Gary fell out of it to #53, having been #48 the year before.
Gary · Justin · 11 shared years, 1968–1981 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 1971 New Zealand ranking
Aaron vs Gary
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Aaron moved into the top 50 at #38 in 1972 as Gary fell out of it to #54, having been #49 the year before.
Aaron · Gary · 14 shared years, 1969–1984 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 1972 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs involving Gary measured in New South Wales, Australia's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Gary at its highest position.

John vs Gary
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — John #1 in 1952, Gary #8 in 1952.
John · Gary · 31 shared years, 1952–1984 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1952 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Peter vs Gary
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Peter #1 in 1954, Gary #8 in 1952.
Peter · Gary · 31 shared years, 1952–1984 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1954 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Kevin vs Gary
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kevin and Gary averaged 7.0 places apart, ending at #70 and #88.
Kevin · Gary · 31 shared years, 1952–1984 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1984 New South Wales, Australia ranking

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Gary 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 2,577 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Gary without appearing here.

Gary moved ahead of

Dean
In 2014 they stood at #346 and #228 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2015 that had become #288 and #415.
Ross Compare
In 2021 they stood at #415 and #279 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2022 that had become #352 and #414.
Darren
In 2015 they stood at #288 and #288 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2016 that had become #281 and #320.
Grant
In 1997 they stood at #192 and #166 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1998 that had become #208 and #232.

Moved ahead of Gary

Fredrik
In 2024 they stood at #2671 and #3254 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2025 that had become #3256 and #1897.
Jon
In 2022 they stood at #2018 and #2320 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2023 that had become #2546 and #1407.
Carol
In 2024 they stood at #2546 and #3523 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2025 that had become #3256 and #2133.
Isak
In 2022 they stood at #2018 and #3449 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2023 that had become #2546 and #1461.

Moved the opposite way to Gary

Conor
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #84 to #785 while Conor went from #56 to #19.
Liam
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #84 to #785 while Liam went from #54 to #8.
Leon
Between 1968 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #56 to #785 while Leon went from #207 to #60.
Dylan
Between 1969 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #67 to #785 while Dylan went from #246 to #39.

Moved the same way as Gary

Alfred
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #84 to #785 and Alfred from #134 to #430.
Denis
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #84 to #785 and Denis from #21 to #195.
Frank
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #84 to #785 and Frank from #164 to #267.
George
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gary went from #84 to #785 and George from #52 to #88.

Meaning & Origin

An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana.

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Germanic (surname origin)

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Other names with a researched meaning and origin →

Where Gary is officially recorded

6 official registrars have recorded Gary, between 1952 and 2025. Each registrar publishes for its own population on its own methodology, so the positions below are each one country's own ranking and are not comparable with one another.

Registrar	Recorded	Years	Its own highest position
New South Wales, Australia	1952–1984	31	#8 in 1952
New Zealand	1954–1981	25	#19 in 1956
Republic of Ireland	1964–2024	60	#25 in 1991
England and Wales	1996–2025	30	#147 in 1996
Northern Ireland	1997–2022	20	#57 in 1997
Scotland	2024	1	#619 in 2024

Its high point came 72 years earlier in New South Wales, Australia (1952) than in Scotland (2024).

Variants

No spelling variants or nicknames recorded yet.

Similar Names

No similar names recorded yet for this name.

Similarity is a demonstration score — see methodology.

Spelling

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling — see Name Characteristics above.

No commonly used alternate spellings recorded.

Pronunciation

GARR-ee/ˈɡæɹ.i/

Syllables: 2
Ease: easy

VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Where Gary Is Recorded

National statistical agencies have recorded Gary in these places. This shows where the name is used — not where it comes from, and not that it carries particular cultural significance there.

New South Wales, AustraliaEngland and WalesNorthern IrelandScotlandRepublic of IrelandNew Zealand

Notable Usage

No safely-sourced notable usage recorded for this name yet.

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

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Gary

Gary at a glance

What stands out in Gary's record

Overview

Popularity

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Gary across 5 official records

Gary by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Gary appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Gary

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Comparisons involving Gary

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Gary and the names beside it

Gary moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Gary

Moved the opposite way to Gary

Moved the same way as Gary

Meaning & Origin

Where Gary is officially recorded

Variants

Similar Names

Spelling

Pronunciation

Where Gary Is Recorded

Notable Usage

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

Gary at a glance

What stands out in Gary's record

Gary across 5 official records

Gary by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Gary appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Gary

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Comparisons involving Gary

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Gary and the names beside it

Gary moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Gary

Moved the opposite way to Gary

Moved the same way as Gary