Gary

Gary m

English: from a surname, which is probably derived from a Norman personal name of Germanic origin, a short form of any of the various compound names with gar spear as a first element. One bearer of this surname was the American industrialist Elbert Henry Gary (1846–1927), who gave his name to the steel town of Gary, Indiana (chartered in 1906). In this town was born the theatrical agent Nan Collins, who suggested Gary as a stage name for her client Frank Cooper, who thus became Gary Cooper (1901–61). His film career caused the name to become enormously popular from the 1930s to the present day. Its popularity has been maintained by the cricketer Gary Sobers (b. 1936; in his case it is in fact a pet form of Garfield) and the pop singer Gary Glitter (real name Paul Gadd). It is now often taken as a pet form of GARETH (SEE Gareth). Curiously, in the spelling Garaidh, the name is borne by a minor warrior in the Gaelic Finn sagas and hence has been used as a dog's name in the Highlands.

Variant: Garry.

Pet form (informal): Gaz.