Name meaning & stats
Gary
Gary means “spear” (Germanic origin). 859,163 US babies since 1940, peak 1952. Notable Garys are 1.8× over-represented as footballers.
What it means
“spear”
GermanicWell documented
A short form of names beginning with gari, “spear”.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1952
859,163 US babies were named Gary between 1940 and 2025. Gary is often a nickname, so many people called Gary are registered under a longer name.
Where Garys end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 1.8× | High · 262 people |
| Politician | 1.2× | High · 195 people |
| NFL-style footballer | 0.8× | High · 107 people |
| Actor | 0.9× | High · 106 people |
Among notable men who are footballers, Garys show up 1.8× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
Spelling family
The most common spelling: 95% of the family
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1952)