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Gar
Pronounced GAR /ΛΙ‘ΙΛr/Medium
Meaning: Gar is a clipped short form of a Gar- name, most often Gareth, Garrett or Gary, whose roots run back to Welsh and Germanic words for gentleness and the spear. In some old records it may also be a truncated fragment of a longer name.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Gar is a one-syllable short form drawn from the Gar- names, chiefly Gareth, Garrett and Gary, so it inherits their gentle and spear-linked roots. Because it is so brief, some entries almost certainly began as a shortened or truncated form of a fuller name in the record.
As a stand-alone name Gar had modest use through the mid-twentieth century, cresting in the late nineteen-fifties. Given to only about twenty boys a year, a Gar from that peak is now in his sixties.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gar mean?
It is a short form of a Gar- name such as Gareth, Garrett or Gary.
How do you pronounce Gar?
It is said GAR /ΛΙ‘ΙΛr/, a single syllable rhyming with car.
Is Gar a boy or girl name?
Gar is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Gar?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the late nineteen-fifties.