Garen
Possessing sharpness and determination, derived from the Welsh word "gar".
Name Census estimates that about 1,124 living Americans carry the first name Garen. It is a predominantly male name (99.0% of registrations). The average person named Garen today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Garen births was 2014 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Garen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 304,942 Americans
Peak year
2014
30 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,914
Tracked since 1941
Gender
Gender distribution for Garen
Out of the 1,202 babies given the name Garen since 1880, 99.0% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Garen as a male name
- Ranked #7,914 in 2024
- 10 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2014 (30 births)
Garen as a female name
- Ranked #8,518 in 1982
- 7 female births in 1982
- Peak: 1982 (7 births)
Popularity
Garen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Garen from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 245 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Garen remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Garen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Garen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Garens live
Origin
Meaning and history of Garen
The name Garen is of Armenian origin, derived from the Armenian word "garn," meaning "spring." It dates back to ancient times and is believed to have originated in the region now known as modern-day Armenia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garen can be found in the ancient Armenian epic poem "Daredevils of Sassoun," which dates back to the 8th century. In this epic, Garen is mentioned as the name of one of the heroic figures.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Garen. One of the most famous was Garen Nersessian (1921-2005), an Armenian-American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Nersessian Construction Company and was a significant contributor to various Armenian cultural and educational organizations.
Another prominent figure was Garen Demirdjian (1897-1982), an Armenian writer and journalist who played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Armenian literature and culture. He was a prolific author and editor, publishing numerous books and articles throughout his lifetime.
In the realm of sports, Garen Nazarian (born 1955) was a professional boxer from Armenia who competed in the light heavyweight division. He had a successful career, winning several championships and representing Armenia in international competitions.
The name Garen has also been associated with religious figures. One notable example is Garen Araqelian (1908-1986), an Armenian Catholic priest and bishop who served as the Apostolic Prefect of Ispahan in Iran from 1962 to 1986.
Additionally, Garen Torossian (1920-2010) was a renowned Armenian painter and artist. His works were widely exhibited and celebrated, and he played a significant role in the Armenian art scene of the 20th century.
While the name Garen has its roots in ancient Armenian culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and has been adopted by individuals of various backgrounds throughout the centuries, making it a name with a rich and diverse history.
People
Garen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Garen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Garen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Garen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,124 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Garen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 304,942 US residents.
Is Garen a common name?
We classify Garen as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,202 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Garen most popular?
The single biggest year for Garen was 2014, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Garen is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Garen a male name?
Yes, 99.0% of people registered as Garen in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.