Garth Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: GARTH //ɡɑːrθ//
Origin: Old English; Welsh
Meaning: Old English: gravelly place; Welsh: brave
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Garth has its roots in Old Norse, deriving from the word "garðr," which means "enclosure" or "yard." This term made its way into the English language through the influence of the Viking settlements in Britain during the early medieval period, particularly around the 8th to 11th centuries. The transition from Old Norse to Middle English saw the name evolve, and it became more commonly used in various forms across different regions of England.
Historically, Garth has been associated with several notable figures. One significant milestone is its appearance in medieval England, where it was used as a surname and later adopted as a given name.
The name is also found in various literary works and historical texts, reflecting the cultural landscape of the time. Although not as frequently mentioned as some other names, Garth has been noted in connection with local nobility and landowners, particularly in the northern regions of England, where Norse influence was strong.
Culturally, Garth has connotations of strength and protection, stemming from its original meaning related to enclosures and yards, which were often associated with safety and home. This symbolic resonance has contributed to its endurance as a name through the centuries.
Additionally, the name has a diminutive form, Garry, which has been used in various contexts, although Garth itself remains the more traditional form. Overall, Garth embodies a rich historical and linguistic heritage, reflecting the interplay of language and culture in the development of personal names in England.
Famous people named Garth
In this section, you will find notable people named Garth. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Garth who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Garth who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Garth Brooks is a singer and songwriter best known for No Fences, Ropin' the Wind, and Double Live.
Garth Ennis is a comic book writer best known for Preacher, The Boys, and Hellblazer.
Garth Nix is an author best known for the Old Kingdom series, the Keys to the Kingdom series, and Frogkisser!.
Garth Algar is a fictional character best known as the protagonist in the Wayne's World films.
Fictional characters named Garth
The following list of fictional characters named Garth is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Garth is a fictional character from the TV series Wayne's World. He is the shy and awkward best friend of Wayne Campbell, known for his love of music and pop culture.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Garth, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Garth. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Garth was first seen in the United States in 1906.
Garth has ranked as high as #803 nationally, which occurred in 1954, and has been most popular in California, Utah, New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Garth has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Garth is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Garth was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Garth (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| UT | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Garth.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2023 | 22 |
| 2022 | 21 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2015 | 20 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2008 | 19 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2004 | 16 |
| 2003 | 15 |
| 2002 | 17 |
| 2001 | 30 |
| 2000 | 22 |
| 1999 | 37 |
| 1998 | 50 |
| 1997 | 46 |
| 1996 | 50 |
| 1995 | 56 |
| 1994 | 62 |
| 1993 | 124 |
| 1992 | 249 |
| 1991 | 200 |
| 1990 | 82 |
| 1989 | 54 |
| 1988 | 54 |
| 1987 | 59 |
| 1986 | 61 |
| 1985 | 61 |
| 1984 | 74 |
| 1983 | 72 |
| 1982 | 98 |
| 1981 | 133 |
| 1980 | 108 |
| 1979 | 124 |
| 1978 | 118 |
| 1977 | 106 |
| 1976 | 110 |
| 1975 | 137 |
| 1974 | 157 |
| 1973 | 150 |
| 1972 | 152 |
| 1971 | 146 |
| 1970 | 190 |
| 1969 | 192 |
| 1968 | 133 |
| 1967 | 157 |
| 1966 | 170 |
| 1965 | 159 |
| 1964 | 239 |
| 1963 | 209 |
| 1962 | 184 |
| 1961 | 211 |
| 1960 | 200 |
| 1959 | 186 |
| 1958 | 156 |
| 1957 | 146 |
| 1956 | 175 |
| 1955 | 200 |
| 1954 | 268 |
| 1953 | 158 |
| 1952 | 106 |
| 1951 | 109 |
| 1950 | 99 |
| 1949 | 98 |
| 1948 | 80 |
| 1947 | 100 |
| 1946 | 80 |
| 1945 | 63 |
| 1944 | 83 |
| 1943 | 86 |
| 1942 | 101 |
| 1941 | 73 |
| 1940 | 86 |
| 1939 | 60 |
| 1938 | 82 |
| 1937 | 83 |
| 1936 | 59 |
| 1935 | 71 |
| 1934 | 73 |
| 1933 | 72 |
| 1932 | 69 |
| 1931 | 53 |
| 1930 | 54 |
| 1929 | 73 |
| 1928 | 68 |
| 1927 | 80 |
| 1926 | 75 |
| 1925 | 68 |
| 1924 | 78 |
| 1923 | 100 |
| 1922 | 66 |
| 1921 | 77 |
| 1920 | 80 |
| 1919 | 80 |
| 1918 | 59 |
| 1917 | 77 |
| 1916 | 53 |
| 1915 | 68 |
| 1914 | 22 |
| 1913 | 24 |
| 1912 | 6 |
| 1911 | 6 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1906 | 5 |