Gary

See also: gary

English

Alternative forms

Garry (chiefly British)

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) enPR: gărʹē IPA^(key): /ˈɡæɹɪ/
- Rhymes: -æɹi
(General American) enPR: gărʹē
- (Mary–marry–merry distinction) IPA^(key): /ˈɡæɹi/
  - Audio (US) (file)
    (Mary–marry–merry distinction)
  - Rhymes: -æɹi
- (Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɛɹi/, /ˈɡeɹi/
  - Rhymes: -ɛɹi

Etymology 1

Medieval short form of Germanic compound names beginning with gari (“spear”)/geri (“spear”), such as Gerard, Gerald, or Gerbert. Cognate with the Scottish and Irish Gaelic name Garaidh.

The last-century popularity of the given name is due to the American actor Gary Cooper (1901–1961), whose stage name was invented by his agent, a native of Gary, Indiana.

Proper noun

Gary (countable and uncountable, plural Garys)

A surname from Middle English [in turn originating as a patronymic].
A city in Lake County, Indiana, and other US places named for persons with the surname Gary.
- 1957 December 19, Meredith Willson (lyrics and music), “Gary, Indiana”, in The Music Man:
  Gary, Indiana!
  What a wonderful name
  Named for Elbert Gary of judiciary fame
  Gary, Indiana, as a Shakespeare would say
  Trips along softly on the tongue this way--
A city in Deuel County, South Dakota.
A male given name transferred from the surname, popular from the 1940s to the 1970s.
- 1930, Irving Berlin (lyrics and music), “Puttin' On The Ritz”:
  Dressed up like a million dollar trooper / Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper
- 1964 Anne Tyler: If Morning Ever Comes. Severn House 1983. page 52:
  "Gary's an awful name. Whatever he's like. It reminds me of a G.I. man with a crew cut, and 'Mom' tattooed on his chest, and lots of pin-up pictures on his wall."

Etymology 2

From Gary Glitter.

Noun

Gary (plural Garys)

shortened form of Gary Glitter.
He did him up the Gary, he did.

Anagrams

Gray, Yarg, gray, gyra, yarg

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Gary, from Germanic.

Proper noun

Gary

a male given name from English