Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2016

Gareth

Meaning old man Gender Boy Rank 2025 #2,776 Trend ↓ Falling 14%

Of Old Welsh origin and cognate with the Welsh name Geraint (from Latin Gerontius (“old man”), from Ancient Greek γέρων (gérōn, “old man”)) or perhaps the word…

Rank 2025
#2,776
among boys · ↓131 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
46
named Gareth · -8% vs 2024
How common
1 in 37,132
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2016
104 babies
All-time total
4,394
#1,945 all-time among boys
First recorded
1916
in Social Security records

Gareth popularity over time

4,394 babies have been named Gareth since 1916, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – 12 12 1 – #3,542
1920s – 156 156 16 +1200% #1,273
1930s – 186 186 19 +19% #1,204
1940s – 292 292 29 +57% #1,092
1950s 5 212 217 22 -26% #1,376
1960s – 241 241 24 +11% #1,458
1970s – 341 341 34 +41% #1,085
1980s – 577 577 58 +69% #1,098
1990s – 705 705 71 +22% #1,282
2000s – 658 658 66 -7% #1,522
2010s – 720 720 72 +9% #1,562
2020s (to 2025) – 289 289 48 -33% #2,501

Where Gareth is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 45 0.03 outside top 500
2027 44 0.03 outside top 500
2028 43 0.03 outside top 500
2029 42 0.02 outside top 500
2030 42 0.02 outside top 500

The story of Gareth

Gareth is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,776 in 2025 with 46 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1916, 4,394 American babies have been named Gareth. Its peak came in 2016, when 104 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gareth stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Gareth?

The median living Gareth is about 28 years old; half are between 14 and 44. An estimated 3,700 people named Gareth are alive in the United States today.

median 28 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Gareth year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 46 #2,776
2024 – – 50 #2,645
2023 – – 47 #2,746
2022 – – 55 #2,501
2021 – – 44 #2,834
2020 – – 47 #2,670
2019 – – 58 #2,350
2018 – – 67 #2,106
2017 – – 88 #1,751
2016 – – 104 #1,580
2015 – – 102 #1,582
2014 – – 102 #1,562
2013 – – 53 #2,376
2012 – – 45 #2,691
2011 – – 52 #2,414
2010 – – 49 #2,525
2009 – – 44 #2,775
2008 – – 52 #2,443
2007 – – 54 #2,387
2006 – – 56 #2,263
2005 – – 75 #1,761
2004 – – 66 #1,862
2003 – – 81 #1,569
2002 – – 80 #1,548
2001 – – 71 #1,650
2000 – – 79 #1,522
1995 – – 75 #1,363
1990 – – 64 #1,400
1985 – – 49 #1,395
1980 – – 51 #1,318
1975 – – 30 #1,674
1970 – – 57 #1,085
1965 – – 24 #1,606
1960 – – 17 #2,001
1955 – – 20 #1,752
1950 – – 28 #1,376
1945 – – 26 #1,309
1940 – – 33 #1,166
1935 – – 25 #1,372
1930 – – 9 #2,856
1925 – – 14 #2,235
1920 – – 5 #4,548
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Gareth

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Gareth Southgate Gareth Southgate English footballer and manager (born 1970) Contemporary
  2. 2 Gareth Barry Gareth Barry English footballer (born 1981) Contemporary
  3. 3 Gareth Gates Gareth Gates British singer-songwriter b. 1984 · Contemporary
  4. 4 Gareth Jones Gareth Jones Welsh journalist (1905–1935) Contemporary
  5. 5 Gareth Emery Gareth Emery British music producer and DJ (born 1980) Contemporary
  6. 6 Gareth David-Lloyd Gareth David-Lloyd Welsh actor, writer, and singer (born 1981) Contemporary
  7. 7 Gareth McAuley Gareth McAuley Northern Irish footballer (born 1979) Contemporary
  8. 8 Gareth Evans Gareth Evans Welsh filmmaker b. 1980 · Contemporary
  9. 9 Gareth Edwards Gareth Edwards British filmmaker b. 1975 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Gareth, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Gareth?

The median living Gareth is about 28 years old. Half of all living Gareths are between 14 and 44 years old.

How many people named Gareth are alive today?

An estimated 3,700 people named Gareth are alive in the United States, based on 4,394 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Gareth mean?

Of Old Welsh origin and cognate with the Welsh name Geraint (from Latin Gerontius (“old man”), from Ancient Greek γέρων (gérōn, “old man”)) or perhaps the word gwareddawg, gwaredd (“gentleness”); see gwâr (“gentle”).

How popular is the name Gareth in 2025?

Gareth ranked #2,776 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 46 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Gareth?

4,394 babies have been named Gareth in the United States since 1916, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Gareth most popular?

Gareth peaked in 2016, when 104 newborns received the name.

Is Gareth a boy or girl name?

Gareth is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Gareth rising or falling?

Gareth is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Gareth become more popular?

Gareth is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 42 boys named Gareth in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Gareth?

Well-known people named Gareth include Gareth Southgate (coach), Gareth Barry (soccer player), Gareth Gates (singer).

Names like Gareth

Names that sound and feel close to Gareth: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Gareth with similar names → More names starting with G →