Gareth

At a Glance: Name: Gareth – Meaning: possibly 'gentle' (from Welsh gwaredd) – Origin: Welsh – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: GAIR-uth

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Gareth is a Welsh name for a boy, pronounced GAIR-uth. It has a classic, romantic, storybook feel. The popular reading is that it means 'gentle,' from the Welsh gwaredd, but scholars are genuinely divided: an alternate theory ties it to Geraint/Gerontius, meaning 'old man,' instead.

Meaning & Origin of Gareth

Meaning: Possibly 'gentle' (from Welsh gwaredd).

Origin: Welsh.

A common claim: Gareth means 'gentle' Actually: This is the popular reading, but scholars are genuinely divided — an alternate theory ties Gareth to Geraint/Gerontius, meaning 'old man,' instead.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Gareth

Phonetic: GAIR-uth   IPA: /ˈɡɛrəθ/

Popularity of Gareth

Gareth peaked at #1086 in 1970 (count 57) and has since slipped to #2637 in 2024 (count 50). In the U.S. Social Security data, which runs from 1916 to 2024, that makes it a rare pick today.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1916–2024.

Make Gareth Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Gareth, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Dafydd
• Griffith
• Ioan
• Trevor
• Alun
• Aneurin

FAQ

What does the name Gareth mean?

Possibly ‘gentle’ (from Welsh gwaredd). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Gareth)

How do you pronounce Gareth?

Gareth is pronounced GAIR-uth (IPA: /ˈɡɛrəθ/).

Is Gareth a popular name right now?

Gareth peaked at #1086 in 1970 and is ranked #2637 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1916–2024.)

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