gary
/ˈɡæɹ.ɪ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.39 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
name
A male given name from the Germanic languages, popular from the 1940s to the 1970s; variant form Garry.
Countable; Uncountable
name
A surname from Middle English [in turn originating as a patronymic]; variant form Garry.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Dressed up like a million dollar trooper / Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper"
- ""Gary's an awful name. Whatever he's like. It reminds me of a G.I. man with a crew cut, and 'Mom' tattooed on his chest, and lots of pin-up pictures on his wall.""
- "Call it a brain freeze, another “Aleppo moment,” or a mere campaign stumble, but Gary Johnson has stumbled again in his quixotic presidential campaign."
- "Gary, Indiana! ¶ What a wonderful name ¶ Named for Elbert Gary of judiciary fame ¶ Gary, Indiana, as a Shakespeare would say ¶ Trips along softly on the tongue this way--"
- "He did him up the Gary, he did."
Etymology
Medieval short form of Germanic compound names beginning with gari or geri ("spear"), such as Gerard, Garrett, Gerald, or Gerbert. Cognate with the Scottish and Irish name Garaidh. Sometimes also a short form of Gareth. The popularity of the given name in the 20th century is due to the American actor Gary Cooper, whose stage name was invented by his agent, a native of Gary, Indiana.
Word Breakdown
- Root: -
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈɡæɹ.ɪ/