Garlan
An Anglo-Norman French form of the name Gerald, meaning "spear ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 157 living Americans carry the first name Garlan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Garlan today is around 72 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Garlan births was 1930 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Garlan. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Garlan is about 72 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Garlans were born before 1964.
People living today
157
~ 1 in 2,183,149 Americans
Peak year
1930
15 babies that year
Average age
72
years old
1972 SSA rank
#4,624
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Garlan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Garlan from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 98 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Garlan 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 Garlan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Garlan
The name Garlan has its roots in the Old English language, originating from the region of modern-day England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "gār" meaning "spear" and "land" meaning "land" or "estate." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived on or owned land associated with spear-making or military activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garlan can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of a great survey commissioned in 1086 by William the Conqueror. This document contains references to individuals bearing the name, indicating its usage in medieval England.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who carried the name Garlan. One of the most prominent was Garlan de Brionne, a Norman nobleman who lived during the 11th century. He was a trusted advisor to William the Conqueror and played a significant role in the Norman conquest of England.
Another historical figure with this name was Garlan de Lacy, a 12th-century Anglo-Norman baron and military commander. He served under King Henry II of England and was involved in campaigns in Ireland, where he was granted lands and established the de Lacy dynasty.
In the realm of literature, Garlan de Caux was a 12th-century French poet and trouvère, known for his contributions to the courtly love tradition of medieval poetry. His works were widely circulated and influenced the development of lyric poetry in medieval France.
Moving into the 13th century, Garlan de Joinville was a French chronicler and biographer of King Louis IX of France. His work, "Histoire de Saint Louis," provided a valuable firsthand account of the life and reign of the pious monarch.
Lastly, Garlan de Palermo was an Italian architect and engineer who lived in the 12th century. He is credited with the design and construction of several notable buildings in Palermo, including the Palazzo dei Normanni and the Cappella Palatina, which showcased the blending of Norman and Arabic architectural styles.
While the name Garlan has its origins in Old English and was more prevalent in medieval times, it has maintained a presence throughout history, carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions, leaving their mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of their respective eras.
People
Garlan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Garlan 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
Garlan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Garlan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 157 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Garlan 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 2,183,149 US residents.
Is Garlan a common name?
We classify Garlan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 416 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Garlan most popular?
The single biggest year for Garlan was 1930, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Garlan is about 72 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Garlan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Garlan 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.