Garyn
A masculine name of Welsh origin derived from "garan", meaning "torrent" or "rough".
Name Census estimates that about 307 living Americans carry the first name Garyn. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 76.6% of registrations being male. The average person named Garyn today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Garyn births was 1998 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Garyn. 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
307
~ 1 in 1,116,464 Americans
Peak year
1998
21 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,881
Tracked since 1977
Gender
Gender distribution for Garyn
Garyn is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 312 total registrations, 239 (76.6%) were male and 73 (23.4%) were female.
Garyn as a male name
- Ranked #12,881 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2003 (18 births)
Garyn as a female name
- Ranked #17,451 in 2013
- 5 female births in 2013
- Peak: 1998 (9 births)
Popularity
Garyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Garyn from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 144 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Garyn 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 Garyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Garyns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Garyn
The name Garyn has its origins in the ancient Celtic language, with roots tracing back to the 5th century. It is believed to have derived from the Proto-Celtic word "garo," which means "spear" or "lance." This connection to weaponry and warfare suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon warriors or those who excelled in combat.
During the medieval period, the name Garyn gained prominence across various regions of Europe where Celtic influence had spread. It was particularly popular among the Britons and the Gaels, who inhabited the British Isles and parts of modern-day Ireland and Scotland. The name's spelling evolved over time, with variations such as Garyn, Garin, and Garin appearing in historical records.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garyn can be found in the 12th-century Welsh prose tale "Culhwch and Olwen," which is part of the Mabinogion collection. In this famous work of Welsh mythology, Garyn appears as the name of one of King Arthur's warriors. This literary reference highlights the name's association with bravery and valor.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Garyn. One prominent figure was Garyn de Gerville (c. 1170-1235), a Norman knight and crusader who participated in the Third and Fourth Crusades. He earned a reputation for his military prowess and was praised for his valor during the siege of Damietta in 1218.
Another individual with this name was Garyn de Mondreville (c. 1225-1290), a French nobleman and knight who served under King Louis IX of France. He played a significant role in the Seventh Crusade and was renowned for his loyalty and courage on the battlefield.
In the realm of literature, Garyn de Bazel (c. 1280-1350) was a renowned Flemish poet and author of the 14th century. His works, including the poem "Le Roman de la Rose," were widely celebrated and contributed to the development of Middle French literature.
During the Renaissance period, Garyn de Beaumont (c. 1460-1520) was a French painter and illuminator known for his intricate and vibrant illuminated manuscripts. His artistic contributions have been preserved in various collections, including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
In more recent times, Garyn G. Hustwit (1912-1988) was an American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to educational institutions and cultural organizations in his home state of Oklahoma.
While the name Garyn may not be as prevalent today as it once was, its rich historical roots and associations with valor, artistry, and nobility continue to make it a distinctive and intriguing choice for parents seeking a name with a strong cultural heritage.
People
Garyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Garyn 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
Garyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Garyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 307 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Garyn 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 1,116,464 US residents.
Is Garyn a common name?
We classify Garyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 312 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Garyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Garyn was 1998, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Garyn is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Garyn a male name?
Yes, 76.6% of people registered as Garyn 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.