Total births
4,389
Boys' name · since 1916
Gareth
Gareth has 4,389 recorded births since 1916 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2016 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2645
- among boys today
- 4,389
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
4,389 babies have been named Gareth since 1916, making it today's #2645 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gareth has been recorded 4,389 times among boys since 1916, currently ranked #2645 nationally and more common than 81% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #2645 among boys today
- 4,389 born since 1916
- 2010s peak decade
- 81% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gareth is currently the #2645 boys' name in America, more common than 81% of boys - 4,389 born since 1916, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2645
- among boys today
- 4,389
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
Gareth vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2645
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 81% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
16% of everyone ever named Gareth was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
104 babies were named Gareth in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Gareth compares
4,389 Top 13% higher than 87% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Gareth's all-time total is 12x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gareth | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,389 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 104 | 23 | 22,252 |
Gareth's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Gareth splits its recorded history at 1972: 73% of all births land in the more recent half, 27% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1916 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2016 peak of 104 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Gareth at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2016
Current rank
#2,645
Active since
1916
Gareth popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 104
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Gareth popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1956 (Gareth as girls' name)
Gareth by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Gareth's strongest decade.
720 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Gareth births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 12
1910s
12 births
- 1920s 156
1920s
156 births
- 1930s 186
1930s
186 births
- 1940s
1940s
292 births
- 1950s 212
1950s
212 births
- 1960s 241
1960s
241 births
- 1970s
1970s
341 births
- 1980s
1980s
577 births
- 1990s
1990s
705 births
- 2000s
2000s
658 births
- 2010s
2010s
720 births
- 2020s
2020s
289 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 720 births (16% of all-time use).
How Gareth compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Gareth's total volume
Gareth vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gareth by state
Where Gareth concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 380 | 8.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 217 | 4.9% |
| #3 | New York | | 147 | 3.3% |
| #4 | Florida | | 74 | 1.7% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 38 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 26 | 0.6% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 25 | 0.6% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 22 | 0.5% |
California share of Gareth's total US births 8.7%
Even split
380 of 4,389 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Gareth appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gareth? ▼
4,389 babies have been named Gareth since 1916. It currently ranks #2645 among boys. The peak year was 2016 with 104 births.
When was Gareth most popular? ▼
Gareth was most popular in the 2010s decade with 720 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
Where is Gareth most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gareth are California (380 births), Texas (217 births), New York (147 births).
How long has the name Gareth been used? ▼
Records for Gareth go back to 1916, giving 110 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Gareth? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gary, Garrett, Garry, Garland, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Gareth's data
- Gareth's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (720 total births) through the 2020s (289) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Gareths (380 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gareth
Nearby Names Like Gareth
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gareth
Gary Boy
#1133 902,152 births
Garrett Boy
#560 135,762 births
Garry Boy
#5071 47,670 births
Garland Boy
#5659 23,857 births
Garret Boy
#6480 13,247 births
Compare Gareth side by side: Gareth vs Gary Gareth vs Garrett Gareth vs Garry
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gareth
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gareth: #2645 Boys' Name - 4,389 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gareth. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Gareth draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.