Garrette
A masculine French name derived from Gerard, meaning "brave with the spear."
Name Census estimates that about 351 living Americans carry the first name Garrette. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Garrette today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Garrette births was 1991 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Garrette. 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
351
~ 1 in 976,508 Americans
Peak year
1991
22 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2015 SSA rank
#11,141
Tracked since 1952
Popularity
Garrette: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Garrette from the 1950s through to the 2010s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 131 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Garrette 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 Garrette 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 Garrette
The name Garrette originated from the French language and is derived from the Germanic word "gar", meaning "spear" or "lance". It first appeared during the Middle Ages, around the 12th century, in various regions of France.
In its early days, the name was often spelled as "Garret" or "Garryt", reflecting the linguistic evolution of the French language over time. The name may have been initially adopted as a surname for individuals who were skilled in the use of spears or lances, either as soldiers or hunters.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garrette can be found in the historical records of the Duchy of Normandy, where a nobleman named Garrette de Montfort was mentioned in a document dating back to the 13th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Garrette. Among them was Garrette d'Angers (1260-1330), a French architect and master builder who played a significant role in the construction of several Gothic cathedrals and churches across France.
In the 16th century, Garrette du Bellay (1492-1560) was a renowned French writer, poet, and diplomat who served as the ambassador to England and Italy during the reign of King Francis I.
During the 17th century, Garrette Naudé (1600-1653) was a prominent French scholar, librarian, and writer who is credited with establishing the principles of modern librarianship and advocating for the freedom of thought and expression.
In the world of literature, Garrette de Nerval (1808-1855) was a renowned French poet, essayist, and translator who was part of the Romantic movement and is best known for his works such as "Les Filles du Feu" and "Aurélia".
Another notable figure bearing the name Garrette was Garrette Nazianze (329-390), a prominent Christian theologian, writer, and orator who was a significant figure in the early Byzantine Church and is venerated as a saint in various Christian traditions.
While the name Garrette has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to English-speaking countries, where it has been adapted and adopted in various forms and spellings.
People
Garrette + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Garrette 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
Garrette: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Garrette?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 351 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Garrette 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 976,508 US residents.
Is Garrette a common name?
We classify Garrette as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 370 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Garrette most popular?
The single biggest year for Garrette was 1991, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Garrette is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Garrette a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Garrette 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.