Gary comes from an English surname and place name, best known from the steel town of Gary, Indiana; as a given name it is usually read through the Germanic element gar and the names Gerald and Garrett, giving the meaning "spear". The actor Gary Cooper made it one of the biggest names of mid-century America, a top 10 choice in the 1950s. Gary ranked number 275 in 2000 and has slid steadily since, reaching number 1073 in 2025.