Boy · #5,071 in 2026

Garland

A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times, garlands are used to decorate, especially around holidays.

Current Rank
#5,071
Peak Rank
#251 (1922)
Total Babies
24K
5-Yr Trend
+6%
1897
First Year
2023
Last Year
1925
Peak Year
#1700
Peak Rank
855
Total Count
89
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Garland

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times, garlands are used to decorate, especially around holidays.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
From the French guirlande , itself from the Italian ghirlanda , a braid . A daisy chain

The Story of Garland

Garland first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 11 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1922, when 478 Garlands were born — ranking #258 that year. As of 2026, Garland ranks #5,071 for baby boys with 19 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 24K Garlands have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Garland

Phonetically similar names — useful when Garland is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Garlands
  • Gartland
  • Gerland
  • Galant
  • Garand
  • Garant
  • Galland
  • Gotland
  • Gorlin
  • Harland
  • Farland
  • Carlen

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Garland

What does the name Garland mean?
A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times, garlands are used to decorate, especially around holidays.
How popular is Garland in 2026?
In 2026, Garland ranks #5,071 among boys' names in the U.S., with 19 babies given the name that year.
When was Garland most popular?
Garland reached its peak popularity in 1922, ranking #251 that year with 478 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Garland most popular?
Garland has historically been most popular in Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Garland.
Is Garland a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Garland is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Garland?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Garland include Jefferson, Maximiliano, Khalil. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Garland

Garland is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 24K births in the dataset. Garland's peak popularity came in 1922 when it ranked #251. Use the chart and map above to compare Garland's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.