Gregory Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: GREG-uh-ree //ˈɡrɛɡəri//
Origin: Greek; Latin
Meaning: Greek: watchful; vigilant; Latin: one who is watchful
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Gregory is derived from the Latin name "Gregorius," which in turn comes from the Greek "Gregorios," meaning "watchful" or "vigilant." The Greek root "gregorein" translates to "to be awake" or "to watch." This etymological journey reflects a linguistic evolution from Greek to Latin and then into Old French before being adopted into Middle English as "Gregory." The name has been used in various forms across different cultures, maintaining its core meaning related to vigilance and attentiveness. Historically, the name Gregory is notably associated with several significant figures, most prominently Saint Gregory the Great, who served as Pope from 590 to 604 AD.
He is recognized for his contributions to the Church, including the development of the Gregorian chant, which has had a lasting impact on Western music. The name also appears in various historical texts and translations, including the Vulgate, the Latin version of the Bible, which was completed in the late 4th century.
Gregory has been borne by numerous saints and popes throughout the centuries, further solidifying its prominence in Christian tradition. Culturally, the name Gregory has been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing leadership and moral integrity due to its association with influential religious figures.
In addition to its ecclesiastical significance, the name has been used in literature and art, reinforcing its resonance in Western culture. The diminutive form "Greg" has also emerged as a familiar variant, though it is less historically significant than its full form.
Overall, the name Gregory carries a rich historical and cultural legacy, reflecting themes of vigilance and leadership.
Famous people named Gregory
In this section, you will find notable people named Gregory. 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 Gregory who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Gregory 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.
Gregory Peck is an actor best known for To Kill a Mockingbird, Roman Holiday, and The Guns of Navarone.
Gregory Hines was a dancer and actor best known for Tap, White Nights, and The Cotton Club.
Gregory Porter is a jazz singer and songwriter best known for Liquid Spirit, Take Me to the Alley, and All Rise.
Gregory Isaacs was a reggae musician best known for Night Nurse, Cool Ruler, and More Gregory.
Gregory Smith is an actor best known for Everwood, The Patriot, and The Amazing Race.
Gregory House is a fictional character and the protagonist of the television series House, M.D.
Fictional characters named Gregory
The following list of fictional characters named Gregory 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.
Gregory House is a fictional character from the TV series House. He is a brilliant but misanthropic doctor who leads a team of diagnosticians at a hospital.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Gregory, 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 Gregory. 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 Gregory was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Gregory has ranked as high as #32 nationally, which occurred in 1962, and has been most popular in California, New York, Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Gregory has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Gregory 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 Gregory was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Gregory (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 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 54 | |
| TX | 44 | |
| GA | 36 | |
| FL | 34 | |
| NY | 34 | |
| NC | 25 | |
| OH | 23 | |
| PA | 18 | |
| MI | 18 | |
| IL | 16 | |
| AL | 14 | |
| IN | 14 | |
| MO | 12 | |
| MD | 12 | |
| MS | 11 |
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 Gregory.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 553 |
| 2023 | 556 |
| 2022 | 616 |
| 2021 | 607 |
| 2020 | 686 |
| 2019 | 805 |
| 2018 | 787 |
| 2017 | 890 |
| 2016 | 926 |
| 2015 | 987 |
| 2014 | 1,110 |
| 2013 | 1,181 |
| 2012 | 1,231 |
| 2011 | 1,265 |
| 2010 | 1,287 |
| 2009 | 1,426 |
| 2008 | 1,559 |
| 2007 | 1,679 |
| 2006 | 1,833 |
| 2005 | 1,903 |
| 2004 | 1,968 |
| 2003 | 2,109 |
| 2002 | 2,279 |
| 2001 | 2,478 |
| 2000 | 2,839 |
| 1999 | 3,048 |
| 1998 | 3,429 |
| 1997 | 3,802 |
| 1996 | 3,994 |
| 1995 | 4,442 |
| 1994 | 5,136 |
| 1993 | 5,807 |
| 1992 | 6,498 |
| 1991 | 7,554 |
| 1990 | 8,377 |
| 1989 | 8,758 |
| 1988 | 8,631 |
| 1987 | 9,136 |
| 1986 | 9,533 |
| 1985 | 9,769 |
| 1984 | 9,687 |
| 1983 | 9,982 |
| 1982 | 10,146 |
| 1981 | 8,758 |
| 1980 | 9,268 |
| 1979 | 9,108 |
| 1978 | 9,342 |
| 1977 | 10,053 |
| 1976 | 10,061 |
| 1975 | 10,399 |
| 1974 | 10,829 |
| 1973 | 11,673 |
| 1972 | 13,059 |
| 1971 | 14,762 |
| 1970 | 16,287 |
| 1969 | 16,171 |
| 1968 | 15,394 |
| 1967 | 15,776 |
| 1966 | 17,006 |
| 1965 | 18,205 |
| 1964 | 19,885 |
| 1963 | 21,420 |
| 1962 | 21,971 |
| 1961 | 21,360 |
| 1960 | 20,302 |
| 1959 | 19,885 |
| 1958 | 19,809 |
| 1957 | 21,475 |
| 1956 | 21,081 |
| 1955 | 19,815 |
| 1954 | 17,624 |
| 1953 | 16,160 |
| 1952 | 15,190 |
| 1951 | 14,103 |
| 1950 | 13,311 |
| 1949 | 10,979 |
| 1948 | 9,724 |
| 1947 | 9,327 |
| 1946 | 5,672 |
| 1945 | 2,474 |
| 1944 | 1,305 |
| 1943 | 1,134 |
| 1942 | 1,027 |
| 1941 | 824 |
| 1940 | 756 |
| 1939 | 596 |
| 1938 | 536 |
| 1937 | 507 |
| 1936 | 393 |
| 1935 | 368 |
| 1934 | 329 |
| 1933 | 254 |
| 1932 | 283 |
| 1931 | 255 |
| 1930 | 248 |
| 1929 | 237 |
| 1928 | 260 |
| 1927 | 241 |
| 1926 | 243 |
| 1925 | 212 |
| 1924 | 226 |
| 1923 | 191 |
| 1922 | 220 |
| 1921 | 184 |
| 1920 | 179 |
| 1919 | 163 |
| 1918 | 175 |
| 1917 | 158 |
| 1916 | 144 |
| 1915 | 135 |
| 1914 | 107 |
| 1913 | 85 |
| 1912 | 65 |
| 1911 | 36 |
| 1910 | 25 |
| 1909 | 26 |
| 1908 | 26 |
| 1907 | 21 |
| 1906 | 16 |
| 1905 | 13 |
| 1904 | 16 |
| 1903 | 10 |
| 1902 | 10 |
| 1901 | 16 |
| 1900 | 12 |
| 1899 | 11 |
| 1898 | 14 |
| 1897 | 8 |
| 1896 | 10 |
| 1895 | 9 |
| 1894 | 10 |
| 1893 | 9 |
| 1892 | 9 |
| 1890 | 12 |
| 1889 | 6 |
| 1888 | 5 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1884 | 5 |
| 1881 | 6 |
| 1880 | 5 |