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Home › Baby Names Directory › Garvis

Garvis

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Garvis

Pronounced GAR-viss /ˈɡɑr.vɪs/Low

Meaning: Garvis reads as a variant of Jarvis, itself from the medieval Gervase, a Norman name whose first element is usually connected to a Germanic word for 'spear,' with an uncertain second part. The G- opening ties it to Gervais and Garvin, and it moved into American use as a surname-style first name.Low

In 30 seconds: Garvis is a rare boy's name, a variant of Jarvis or Gervase, with a Germanic 'spear' element. It is said GAR-viss.
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Origin LowEnglish, Germanic
MeaningGarvis reads as a variant of Jarvis, itself from the medieval Gervase, a Norman name whose first element is usually connected to a Germanic word for 'spear,' with an uncertain second part. The G- opening ties it to Gervais and Garvin, and it moved into American use as a surname-style first name.
U.S. rank (1962)#3782 ↗ Rising
1962 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1920
Total births (all-time)≈ 349

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192919131962

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

Garvis looks like a variant of Jarvis, which descends from the Norman Gervase. Scholars usually read its first part as a Germanic 'spear' element, though the second is uncertain, and the G- form here aligns Garvis with Gervais and Garvin rather than with any wholly separate root.

It was never common, given to only around fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the early nineteen-twenties, and it stayed scarce. A boy named Garvis then would be a great-grandfather today.

Did you know? The medieval name Gervase sat behind both Jarvis and Garvis, spreading through Norman England before the surname stage carried it to America.
Overall data confidence 30%
References - Garvis — Variant of Jarvis/Gervase; Germanic 'spear' element; second part uncertain.

Variations

JarvisGervisGarvies

Nicknames

GarGarv

Famous Bearers

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If you like Garvis…

Jarvis— the common form of the same name
Garvin— a like Gar- masculine name
Travis— a comparable -vis surname-name
Glennis— another English name
Amais— another English name

Explore names like Garvis

By themeraregermanicsurnamemasculine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Garvis mean?

It is a variant of Jarvis or Gervase, a Norman name whose first element is usually linked to a Germanic word for 'spear.'

How do you pronounce Garvis?

It is said GAR-viss /ˈɡɑr.vɪs/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Garvis a boy or girl name?

Garvis is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Garvis?

Garvis was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the early nineteen-twenties.

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