Garrett is a name of English origin, derived from the Old English word "gar" which means spear, and "tred" meaning guard or shield. The name Garrett is thought to have been used as an occupational name for someone who made spears or served as a spearman in an army.
The name Garrett has been used historically throughout Europe, with variations such as Gerald, Gerard, Garfield, and Gerhard all sharing the same root meaning of "strong spear". In Ireland, the name Garret was commonly used among the Irish nobility, with Garrett More O'Daly being a famous 16th-century chieftain.
The name Garrett has also been associated with notable figures throughout history. For example, Garrett Morgan was an African American inventor who invented the gas mask and improved upon the traffic light signal, while Garrett Hardin was an American ecologist known for his influential essay "The Tragedy of the Commons".
Today, Garrett remains a popular given name for boys in English-speaking countries. According to data from the Social Security Administration, Garrett has consistently ranked among the top 500 most popular baby boy names in the United States since the 1980s.
In summary, the name Garrett is of English origin and means "strong spear". It has been used historically throughout Europe and has been associated with notable figures such as Garrett Morgan and Garrett Hardin. Today, Garrett remains a popular given name for boys in English-speaking countries.
Based on the statistics provided, we can observe several trends regarding the name Garrett over time in the United States.
The name Garrett first began to gain popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with a notable increase in births between 1962 and 1967. During this period, the number of babies named Garrett more than doubled, from 8 births in 1962 to 42 births in 1967.
The name continued to grow in popularity throughout the 1970s and 1980s, reaching a peak of 216 births in the year 2000. This indicates that Garrett was quite popular as a baby boy's name during this time period.
However, starting around the year 2000, we begin to see a decline in the number of babies named Garrett. By the year 2023, there were only 12 births recorded for the name, indicating that it is no longer as popular as it once was.
Overall, these statistics demonstrate the changing trends in baby names over time and provide insight into the popularity of the name Garrett throughout several decades in the United States.