Gary

Meaning of Gary

Gary means "spear". It's a short form of names containing the element "gar", meaning spear.

Gary has Germanic roots — browse every Germanic baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Gary

After ranking as high as #275 in 2000, Gary has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Gary

• Gary Oldman
  English actor and filmmaker
• Gary Sinise
  American actor and director
• Gary Player
  South African professional golfer
• Gary Lineker
  English football broadcaster
• Gary Busey
  American actor and personality

More Germanic names

Questions about the name Gary

What does the name Gary mean?

Gary means gary means "spear". it's a short form of names containing the element "gar", meaning spear, and it comes from Germanic origins.

Is Gary a boy's or a girl's name?

Gary is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Gary?

Gary did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Gary most popular?

Gary peaked at #275 in 2000.