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At a Glance
- Origin
- English/Irish/German (surname, multiple possible origins)
- Gender
- Primarily used for boys
- Pronunciation
- GEER-ee
Geary started life as a surname with roots in English, Irish, and German family lines, and like many surnames-turned-first-names, it carries more than one possible origin story. You may see it claimed that Geary means 'one who is flexible,' but that idea only loosely echoes one theory tracing it to the Middle English word 'gery,' meaning changeable or fickle — since the surname has at least two other, unrelated origins, there's no single confirmed meaning to point to. If you're drawn to Geary, it's worth choosing it for its sound and history as a name rather than for a specific meaning.
Meaning & Origin of Geary
Origin: English/Irish/German (surname, multiple possible origins).
A common claim: Geary means 'one who is flexible' Actually: Loosely echoes only the Middle English 'gery' (changeable/fickle) theory — the surname has at least two other, unrelated origins, so no single confirmed meaning exists.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Geary
GEER-eeIPA /ˈɡɪəri/
Popularity of Geary
Geary had its strongest showing in 1953, ranking #494 with 201 babies given the name that year. By 2011, the last year it shows up in Social Security data, it had fallen all the way to #12929 with just 5 babies recorded.
Names Like Geary
These names have followed a similar path to Geary in U.S. popularity over the years.
FAQ
What does the name Geary mean?
Geary means ‘one who is flexible’ Loosely echoes only the Middle English ‘gery’ (changeable/fickle) theory — the surname has at least two other, unrelated origins, so no single confirmed meaning exists.
How do you pronounce Geary?
Geary is pronounced GEER-ee (IPA: /ˈɡɪəri/).
Is Geary a popular name right now?
Geary peaked at #494 in 1953 and is ranked #12929 as of 2011. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1916–2011.)
Make Geary Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Geary, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
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