Garrett is of Old English origin, derived from the word "gar", meaning spear. It was introduced to England by Norman invaders and has since become a popular given name. The name Garrett is often associated with its more common spelling variation, Gerard. Throughout history, there have been several notable figures bearing this name, such as Garrett Augustus Morgan Jr., an American inventor and businessman who held numerous patents related to the improvement of traffic signals, and Garrett Hardin, an American ecologist known for his 1968 essay "The Tragedy of the Commons". The name Garrett has also appeared in literature and popular culture, notably in the works of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, where Garrett is a character who appears briefly as a student at Hogwarts. Today, Garrett remains a strong and distinguished name choice for boys, ranking among the top 500 names in the United States according to recent data from the Social Security Administration.
"The name Garrett experienced its peak popularity between the late 1970s and mid-1980s, with a notable spike of 22 births each in both 1986 and 1988. However, it has since declined significantly, with only 5 or fewer births per year from 2010 onwards."