Gareth
Gareth is a Welsh masculine given name. The name's popularity in Wales may be as a hypocorism of Geraint, which itself became popular after the famous hero and king of Dumnonia.
Meaning & Origin of Gareth
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gareth is a Welsh masculine given name. The name's popularity in Wales may be as a hypocorism of Geraint, which itself became popular after the famous hero and king of Dumnonia.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Gareth
Gareth first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1916, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 104 Gareths were born — ranking #1,575 that year. As of 2026, Gareth ranks #2,606 for baby boys with 51 births, falling sharply (-16%). In total, more than 4K Gareths have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Gareth
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Gareth Abraham (born 1969), Welsh footballer
- Gareth Bale (born 1989), Welsh footballer
- Gareth Barry (born 1981), English footballer
- Gareth Branwyn (born 1958), American writer and editor
- Gareth Brooks (born 1979), New Zealand field hockey player
- Gareth Chilcott (born 1956), English rugby union player
- Gareth Cooper (born 1979), Welsh rugby union player
- Gareth Coker (born 1984), British composer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Gareth
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gareth is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gareth
What does the name Gareth mean?
How popular is Gareth in 2026?
When was Gareth most popular?
In which U.S. states is Gareth most popular?
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About the name Gareth
Gareth is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Gareth's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #1,081. Use the chart and map above to compare Gareth's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2016 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.