Gregory Boy

Popularity: #471 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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
11%
TX 44
9%
GA 36
7%
FL 34
7%
NY 34
7%
NC 25
5%
OH 23
5%
PA 18
4%
MI 18
4%
IL 16
3%
AL 14
3%
IN 14
3%
MO 12
2%
MD 12
2%
MS 11
2%

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.

YearBirths
2024553
2023556
2022616
2021607
2020686
2019805
2018787
2017890
2016926
2015987
20141,110
20131,181
20121,231
20111,265
20101,287
20091,426
20081,559
20071,679
20061,833
20051,903
20041,968
20032,109
20022,279
20012,478
20002,839
19993,048
19983,429
19973,802
19963,994
19954,442
19945,136
19935,807
19926,498
19917,554
19908,377
19898,758
19888,631
19879,136
19869,533
19859,769
19849,687
19839,982
198210,146
19818,758
19809,268
19799,108
19789,342
197710,053
197610,061
197510,399
197410,829
197311,673
197213,059
197114,762
197016,287
196916,171
196815,394
196715,776
196617,006
196518,205
196419,885
196321,420
196221,971
196121,360
196020,302
195919,885
195819,809
195721,475
195621,081
195519,815
195417,624
195316,160
195215,190
195114,103
195013,311
194910,979
19489,724
19479,327
19465,672
19452,474
19441,305
19431,134
19421,027
1941824
1940756
1939596
1938536
1937507
1936393
1935368
1934329
1933254
1932283
1931255
1930248
1929237
1928260
1927241
1926243
1925212
1924226
1923191
1922220
1921184
1920179
1919163
1918175
1917158
1916144
1915135
1914107
191385
191265
191136
191025
190926
190826
190721
190616
190513
190416
190310
190210
190116
190012
189911
189814
18978
189610
18959
189410
18939
18929
189012
18896
18885
18867
18855
18845
18816
18805