Garrek
Medieval English masculine name, perhaps from an Old German name meaning "spear power".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Garrek. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Garrek today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Garrek births was 1990 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Garrek. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Garrek. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1990
5 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
1990 SSA rank
#8,568
Tracked since 1990
Popularity
Garrek: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Garrek 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 Garrek during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Garrek
The given name Garrek is a relatively uncommon name with origins that can be traced back to the ancient Mesopotamian region. Scholars believe it is derived from the Akkadian language, which was spoken in Mesopotamia between the 3rd and 1st millennia BCE. The name likely stems from the Akkadian root word "garaku," which means "to be strong" or "to be powerful."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garrek can be found in cuneiform inscriptions from the city of Ur, located in modern-day Iraq. These inscriptions, dating back to around 2000 BCE, mention a high-ranking official named Garrek who served under the rule of King Shulgi of the Third Dynasty of Ur.
In ancient Sumerian literature, there is a reference to a character named Garrek in the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest surviving works of literature. The Epic of Gilgamesh, composed sometime between 2500 and 1500 BCE, depicts Garrek as a brave warrior who accompanied the hero Gilgamesh on his adventures.
During the medieval period, the name Garrek appeared sporadically in various regions of the Middle East and North Africa. One notable figure was Garrek al-Andalusi, a scholar and poet from Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain) who lived in the 11th century CE. His works were renowned for their intricate use of Arabic language and poetic imagery.
In the 14th century, there was a Persian physician named Garrek al-Razi who made significant contributions to the field of medicine. He is credited with writing several influential treatises on various medical topics, including the treatment of infectious diseases.
Another historical figure with the name Garrek was a Ottoman military commander from the 16th century. Garrek Pasha was a skilled strategist who played a crucial role in the Ottoman Empire's expansion into Eastern Europe, leading numerous successful military campaigns against rival powers.
While the name Garrek has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has persisted across various cultures and time periods, reflecting its ancient Mesopotamian origins and the enduring legacy of the powerful individuals who bore this name.
People
Garrek + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Garrek 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
Garrek: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Garrek?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Garrek 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Garrek a common name?
We classify Garrek as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Garrek most popular?
The single biggest year for Garrek was 1990, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Garrek is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Garrek in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Garrek a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Garrek 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.
Is Garrek still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Garrek in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Garrek can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Garrek as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.