Gareth
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Gareth is a Welsh name meaning “gentle”. It is a common name, overwhelmingly used for boys, with 99.99% male usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Gareth
Gareth is a name of Welsh origin, meaning gentle or modest. It appears within the Arthurian legend as one of the knights of the Round Table, known for his virtue and service. The name's historical roots are found in medieval Welsh literature, which established it as a significant figure in the Arthurian narrative cycle.
Meaning Comments
- Mitchell234: Gareth is Olde Welsh/English for Master of the Sword.
- Sk11ler99str: Gareth comes from the Welsh word 'gwaredd', meaning 'gentleness'.
- Paramed2537: Gareth is a Welsh name that means 'Gentle' that originated in the 12th century.
Gender Usage of the Name Gareth
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Gareth is overwhelmingly used as a name for boys. Approximately 99.99% of recorded bearers are male. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Gareth
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Gareth is listed under Common Boy Names worldwide. Its overall popularity is supported by stronger usage in United Kingdom across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Uncommon | 1 in every 141K births |
| United Kingdom | Common | 1 in every 3.9K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 55K births |
| Australia | Common | 1 in every 204K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Gareth ranked #5,081 on the Popular Boys’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #3,443 in 2024 — a drop of 1,638 places. Gareth shows meaningful recent movement in rank, though it remains uncommon overall.
Historically, its best recorded position was #186 in 1979. Its lowest recorded position was #5,081 in 2025. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name fell -4432 places (from #649 to #5,081).
Name StyleMethodology
Gareth is classified as Classic Boy Names because it appears in 66% of available years and remains active today, averaging 138 births per year after a historical peak in 2018.Characteristics of the Name Gareth
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Boy Names
- Length
- 6 letters — Medium-Length Boy Names
- Starts with
- G — Boy Names Starting with G
- Ends with
- h — Boy Names Ending in “h”
Name AestheticMethodology
Gareth utilizes a two-syllable construction with initial stress, offering a sharp, authoritative finish. It is famously associated with Sir Gareth of Arthurian legend, a figure known for his chivalry and martial prowess. This heritage gives the name a distinct Elegant & Timeless and Strong & Powerful aesthetic.
Middle Names For Gareth
Middle names used with GarethMethodology
Gareth is most frequently used with these boy middle names: Gareth William · Gareth Edward · Gareth Wayne · Gareth John · Gareth MatthewView all 76 boy middle names.
- Total 97 middle names used with Gareth
- 5 girl middle names used with Gareth
- 15 unisex middle names used with Gareth
Middle name suggestions for GarethMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Gareth is most frequently associated with boy middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “r”.
Examples: Gareth Roger · Gareth Randy · Gareth Rufus · Gareth Ruben · Gareth Roman. View all 81 suggested middle names.
Names Similar to Gareth
Sound Like Gareth Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Garth · Garreth · Garath · View all 10 names
Spelled Like Gareth Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Garreth · Garth · Garath · View all 5 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Gary · Gregory · Gabriel · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Gareth Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Kenneth · Keith · Seth · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Robert · Michael · William · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Gareth”
Dictionary Meaning of "Gareth"Methodology
A male given name from Welsh of Welsh origin; name of a knight in the Arthurian romance
Examples
- The last tall son of Lot and Bellicent, And tallest, Gareth, in a showerful spring, Stared at the spate.
More Info
How to Spell Gareth in ASL
- G
- a
- r
- e
- t
- h
Comments on the name Gareth
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 13 comments
Buying_dung
The name Gareth was given to 101 boys born in the US in 2015.
Pureskill3r2
The correct Welsh pronunciation of Gareth is GA RETH. There is no hesitation between the syllables and the R is not rolled as is common in American speech. GA is said like GAP. RETH can be said as RETH or R(UH)TH depending on where in Wales you come from - my experience is that the former is more likely in Welsh speaking regions or the old coal mining valleys and the latter is more likely in the mainly English speaking regions. I was born in Cardiff (the capital) and grew up in Barry (a small seaside town) - both English speaking.
N00bs_elite
Gareth Gates is an English singer-songwriter and actor. He was the runner-up in the first series of the ITV talent show Pop Idol in 2002. As of 2008, Gates had sold over 3.5 million records in the UK. He is also known for having a stutter, and has talked about his speech impediment publicly. In 2009, Gates moved into musical theatre, playing the title role in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre.
Sharp_doom86
Gareth Edwards is a British filmmaker/director of movies like 'Godzilla (2014)', 'Monsters', and 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'.
Angyan2118ll
Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a winger for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Wales national team.