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Gaither
How to Pronounce Gaither
Pronounced GAY-thur /ˈɡeɪ.ðər/Medium
Meaning: Gaither is an English surname taken up as a first name; it is generally explained as an occupational name, most likely a form of 'goatherd' (one who tends goats) from Old English elements. As a given name it carries the surname's history rather than a separate personal meaning.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Gaither reflects an English occupational surname, most likely 'goatherd', adopted as a first name in the American surname-name tradition. Recorded from the 1890s into the twentieth century, it was always rare, given to only a couple dozen boys a year.
A man named Gaither would belong to a grandfather or great-grandfather generation, and the name has a soft, distinctive sound uncommon among -er surname-names. Gaith serves as an informal short form, though it is usually used in full.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gaither mean?
It is an English surname used as a first name, generally explained as an occupational name for a goatherd.
How do you pronounce Gaither?
It's said GAY-thur /ˈɡeɪ.ðər/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Gaither a boy or girl name?
Gaither is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Gaither?
It was always rare, an early-twentieth-century name given to only a couple dozen boys a year.