Gregary
Of Greek origin, meaning "watchful" or "vigilant".
Name Census estimates that about 431 living Americans carry the first name Gregary. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gregary today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gregary births was 1965 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gregary. 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
431
~ 1 in 795,254 Americans
Peak year
1965
24 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
2002 SSA rank
#9,802
Tracked since 1946
Popularity
Gregary: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gregary from the 1940s through to the 2000s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 170 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gregary 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 Gregary 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 Gregary
The name Gregary is derived from the Latin name Gregorius, which itself is a Latinized form of the Greek name Γρηγόριος (Grēgorios). The root of the name is the Greek verb γρηγορεῖν (grēgorein), meaning "to watch" or "to be awake." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were known for their vigilance or watchfulness.
The earliest recorded use of the name Gregorius can be traced back to the 3rd century AD, when it was borne by several early Christian saints and martyrs. One of the most notable figures with this name was Pope Gregory I, also known as Gregory the Great, who reigned from 590 to 604 AD. He is celebrated for his extensive writings on theology and his contributions to the development of the Catholic Church's liturgy and music.
In the Middle Ages, the name Gregorius was popular among the clergy and religious orders, particularly in Western Europe. Several popes and bishops bore this name, including Gregory VII (c. 1020–1085), who played a significant role in the Investiture Controversy and the reform of the Church.
The variant spelling Gregary emerged during the late Middle Ages and was used in various regions of Europe, including England and Scotland. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this spelling was Gregary de Marisco, an English clergyman and scholar who lived in the 13th century.
In the 16th century, the name Gregary was associated with the Protestant Reformation. Gregary Chappuys (c. 1500–1575) was a French Protestant theologian and translator who worked closely with John Calvin. Another notable figure was Gregary Seton (c. 1530–1605), a Scottish Catholic priest and writer who was imprisoned for his faith during the Scottish Reformation.
During the Renaissance and Early Modern periods, the name Gregary was also used by individuals in the arts and sciences. Gregary Blunt (c. 1565–1628) was an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of navigation techniques. Gregary Tremellius (c. 1510–1590) was an Italian Protestant scholar and Hebrew linguist who contributed to the translation of the Bible into Latin.
While the name Gregary has been less common in recent centuries, it has continued to be used throughout history. Some notable individuals with this name include Gregary Hines (born 1946), an American dancer and choreographer, and Gregary Peck (1916–2003), the acclaimed American actor best known for his roles in films such as To Kill a Mockingbird and Roman Holiday.
People
Gregary + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gregary 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
Gregary: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gregary?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 431 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gregary 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 795,254 US residents.
Is Gregary a common name?
We classify Gregary as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 504 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gregary most popular?
The single biggest year for Gregary was 1965, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gregary is about 57 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gregary a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gregary 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.