Gregory Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

What Does Gregory Mean?

Gregory comes from the Greek gregōrios, which means “vigilant and watchful.” This definition is why many monks and Christians have chosen it as a name for over 1,500 years.

Before Gregory made it to English, it went through Latin, where it incorporated the meaning of grex. Grex means “flock” in Latin and took on this meaning because of Christianity’s idea of the good shepherd. So Gregory represents a soothing protector and mindful leader.

What is the Origin of the Name Gregory?

As mentioned above, Gregory came from Greek and became popular with Christians thanks to its meaning. Its Christian adoption led to 16 popes and 15 saints named Gregory, including Gregory the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzene.

It was also the name of the apostles of Armenia in the 3rd and 4th centuries. The English form of the name has absorbed many cognates from other European languages in North America.

How Popular is the Name Gregory?

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the name Gregory is popular at present ⁽¹⁾. Impressively, it has been in varying degrees of popularity for as long as the SSA has been keeping name records starting in 1880.

The best year for Gregory was 1963 when it was the 21st most popular name for boys in the United States. There were over 21,000 people named Gregory that year. Gregory was very popular from 1945 to 1996 and has remained popular since.

How Do I Pronounce Gregory?

Gregory is pronounced greh-guh-ree in American English and greh-go-ree in British English ⁽²⁾. You may find regional variations in pronunciation but these are the most common.

Is Gregory a Boy or Girl Name?

You can give any name to any baby regardless of their gender. However, people tend to think of Gregory as a name for boys. Some people have named girls Gregory but it is very rare.

Variations of Gregory

The same name may have alternate spellings in different countries, cultures, and languages. People also like to find new ways to spell a name to give it a fresh spin.

Here are some common variations on the spelling of Gregory and their origins:

• Géléigēlǐ 格雷戈里 (Chinese)
• Gorgorios, ጎርጎሪዯስ (Amharic)
• Graig (Canadian, Welsh)
• Greg (American, English)
• Greger/s (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)
• Gregg (American, English)
• Greggory (American, English)
• Gregor (Slovak, Scots, German, Icelandic)
• Gregorius (Dutch, Indonesian, Latin)
• Grégory or Grégoire (French)
• Grigor (Albanian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Welsh)
• Grigorios, Γρηγόριος (Greek)
• Jurayj, جريج, Jirījūrī, جريجوري, (Arabic)
• Krikor (Turkish)
• גרגורי (Hebrew)

Nicknames for Gregory

Nicknames come from your full name, your personality, or fun life stories. Choosing a name with good nickname potential is almost as important as choosing a middle name.

Here are some common and silly nicknames for Gregory:

• Big G
• G Money
• Ger
• Go
• Gor
• Greg
• Greger
• Greggy
• Grego
• Gregosaurus
• Grimmwolf
• Grizzly
• GuiGui
• Gunner
• Gwego
• Reg
• Rory
• Ry

Similar Names to Gregory

Do you like the name Gregory but don’t think it fits quite right? Or do you already know someone named Gregory and it’d be awkward to name your child after them? Here are some names that are similar to Gregory in sound and origin.

• Benjamin
• Christopher
• Clement
• David
• Douglas
• Francis
• Gilbert
• Grady
• Grant
• Greyson
• Jeremy
• Johnathan
• Jordan
• Michael
• Nicholas
• Philip
• Reginald
• Robert
• Spencer
• Timothy

Middle Names for Gregory

Having a good middle name that flows with the first and last name is essential. You may want to use a family name, but if not, you should use a name that sounds good.

Here are some middle names for Gregory that sound nice:

• Anthony
• Austin
• Clark
• Gray
• Grisham
• Gryphon
• Gunther
• Hector
• Isaac
• Joseph
• Josiah
• King
• Macgregor
• Ray
• Reid
• Samuel
• Taylor
• Thomas
• Wilson
• Wyatt

Sibling Names for Gregory

Some people like being very intentional when they name their kids. You could have the same first letter, names that rhyme, or follow a theme like flowers.

Here are some solid suggestions for sibling names for Gregory:

• Alexander
• Calvin
• Christopher
• Clyde
• Geoffry
• Georgia
• Grace
• Gretta
• Gretel
• Grover
• Logan
• Lucas
• Meg/Megan
• Nicole
• Olivia
• Regan
• Samuel
• Savannah
• William
• Zachary

Famous People Named Gregory

The name Gregory has been around for a while, so it makes sense that there are famous people that share the name.

Here are some famous people named Gregory:

• Greg Abbott: American politician.
• Gregg Allman: American musician.
• Gregory Chamitoff: American astronaut.
• Gregory Chaney: American politician.
• Gregory Gaye: Russian-American actor.
• Gregory Gray: Northern Irish musician.
• Gregory Helms: American professional wrestler.
• Gregory Henriquez: Canadian architect.
• Gregory Hines: American dancer, actor, singer, and choreographer.
• Greg Louganis: American Olympic champion diver and LGBT activist.
• Greg Luzinski: American baseball player.
• Greg Maddux: American baseball player.
• Gregory Peck: American actor.
• Gregory Porter: American singer, songwriter, and actor.
• Gregory Rousseau: American football player.
• Greg Rusedski: Canadian-English tennis player.
• Greg Weisman: writer, actor, producer.
• Gregory Vargas: Venezuelan basketball player.

Gregory in Popular Culture

You’ll find that the name Gregory has made its way into pop culture. Out of all of the movies, books, and video games out there, here are Gregorys from popular culture for you.

• Gregory: protagonist of the video game Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach.
• Gregory: in the comic book and television series The Walking Dead.
• Gregory Heffley: protagonist of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
• Gregory Herd: character in Marvel Comics.
• Gregory Hirsch: cousin in the Roy family Succession.
• Gregory House: main character of the tv show House.

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