# Gary

/ˈɡæɹi/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gary
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. male name

noun · CEFR A1

a common first name for a man.

For teachers: a masculine given name, particularly prevalent in English-speaking countries during the mid-20th century.

- My uncle Gary is coming to visit us for dinner this weekend.
- Gary was among the most popular names for boys in the United Kingdom and United States throughout the nineteen-fifties.

### 2. surname

noun · CEFR A2

a family name or last name.

For teachers: a surname of Middle English origin, often appearing as a patronymic variant.

- The author of the book is a woman named Linda Gary.
- The historical records indicate that the Gary family settled in this region during the early nineteenth century.

### 3. place name

noun · CEFR B1

the name of several cities, most famously one in Indiana, USA.

For teachers: a toponym referring to several locations in the United States, most notably a major industrial city in Lake County, Indiana.

- The famous singer Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana.
- The city of Gary was founded in nineteen-six by the United States Steel Corporation as a home for its new plant.

## Examples

- My uncle Gary lives in a small house by the sea.
- The office manager, Gary, is responsible for ordering all the supplies and managing the budget.
- Sociologists often point to the name Gary as a prime example of a 'generational name' that peaked sharply in popularity before falling out of fashion with subsequent parents.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.