The Art of Literary Nomenclature

ORIGIN:
From an English last name, which comes from a Norman first name, which was a diminutive version of Germanic names beginning with “Ger-“, meaning “spear” or “spear carrier”. Sometimes used as a diminutive of “Gerald” (in which case, usually pronounced like “Jerry“, instead of with a hard G), or to Anglicize names like “Garibaldi”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gari, Garry, Gaz, Gerald, Geri, Gerrold, Jerrie, Jerry, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Gary, the name of more than one of the boys Lily dates, who perhaps not-so-coincidentally often have names which rhyme with her long-absent father, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).

Tagged: 1950s, 1980s, English, G

§ One Response to Gary

• Endangered or Extinct First Names | The Art of Literary Nomenclature says:

  August 7, 2015 at 5:57 am

  […] boys: Arnold, Bernard, Bill, Bruce, Cecil, Clarence, Clifford, Cyril, Donald, Elmo, Ernest, Fred, Gary, Harold, Herbert, Horace, Ian, Icarus, Inigo, Leslie, Llewellyn, Neil, Nigel, Norman, Percy, Remus, […]

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