Favorite G Names

  1. Gale
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Gale for boys is more a storm name than a short form of Abigail. Since Gale has resurfaced as the name of Liam Hemsworth's daring character in The Hunger Games, it has new force for boys.
  2. Garvan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rough little one"
    • Description:

      Irish surname derived from the name Gairbhín, a diminutive of garbh, "rough". It's barely been used as a first name, but could be a similar-yet-different alternative to names like Nolan and Sullivan.
  3. Gemma
    • Origin:

      Italian, Catalonian, Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "precious stone"
    • Description:

      Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008.
  4. Genesis
    • Origin:

      Word name, Biblical
    • Meaning:

      "the origin and formation of something; The First Book in The Bible"
    • Description:

      With the sounds of Jennifer and Alexis, and the vibes of Eden and Serenity, Genesis is a Biblical inspired choice that has been popular in the US since the 2000’s.
  5. Geneva
    • Origin:

      Swiss place-name or French
    • Meaning:

      "juniper tree"
    • Description:

      Unlike its somewhat formal Swiss city namesake, this is a lively and appealing place-name that also has a real history as a female name.
  6. Genevieve
    • Origin:

      English from French
    • Meaning:

      "tribe woman"
    • Description:

      Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni, meaning "kin", and wefa, meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of Paris, defended the city against Attila the Hun through her rational thinking, courage and prayer.
  7. Gerard
    • Origin:

      English and Irish from German
    • Meaning:

      "spear strength"
    • Description:

      Gerard is currently in style limbo, after reaching peak popularity in the 1950s. With its strong meaning and gentle sound, it may be back in a generation or two. But for now, a boy called Gerard will likely be the only one in his class...unless you live in Catalonia, where it was recently in the Top 10.
  8. Gertrude
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "strength of a spear"
    • Description:

      Could cute nickname Gertie, remembered as cute five-year-old Drew Barrymore in E.T., revive the long shunned Gertrude?
  9. Gianna
    • Origin:

      Italian, diminutive of Giovanna or feminization of Gianni, forms of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      The Italian Gianna undoubtedly owes much of its popularity in the US to its status as an honor name for John. Before the importation of Gianna, there was no truly workable feminine form of John, so Gianna found widespread favor among American parents with Italian roots and far beyond.
  10. Gideon
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "hewer; or, having a stump for a hand"
    • Description:

      Gideon is a no-longer neglected Old Testament name, but still makes an excellent choice for parents looking to move beyond such overused biblicals as Benjamin and Jacob. In the Old Testament, Gideon was a judge called on by God to rescue the Jews from the Midianites, and the name was popular among the Puritans.
  11. Giovanna
    • Origin:

      Italian, feminine variation of Giovanni
    • Description:

      Like Galilea and Livia, one of the Italian names that fashionable American parents—with or without Italian roots—have started to choose for their daughters. It has endured ups and downs since entering the popularity charts in 1991.
  12. Giselle
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "pledge, hostage"
    • Description:

      Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen undoubtedly gave this name a boost. The French pronunciation (jiz-ELLE) gives it a more graceful, balletic, gazellelike feel.
  13. Gladys
    • Origin:

      Possibly a form or Claudia or Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "land, nation"
    • Description:

      Hard as it might be to believe, Gladys was the Harper of 1900, emerging almost out of nowhere to take the naming world by storm. It became a favorite among parents — and writers of romantic Edwardian novels, seen as alluring and unusual. One impetus was the 1870 Ouida novel Puck, whose heroine was the idealized beauty, Gladys Gerant.
  14. Goldie
    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Yiddish Golde or Golda
    • Meaning:

      "gold"
    • Description:

      Goldie is a shimmering new addition to the nickname name lineup, and became one of the fastest rising girl names in 2023. After peaking at Number 114 in 1904-1905, Goldie slid off the list completely in 1958. She re-entered the US Top 1000 again in 2021.
  15. Gordon
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "great hill"
    • Description:

      As this long-term Age of Jordans, both male and female, begins to wind down, the neglected Scottish favorite Gordon, with its more distinguished history, could come back as a distinctive alternative. Gordon is one of the most classic authentically Scottish names for boys.
  16. Grace
    • Origin:

      English, virtue name
    • Description:

      Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.
  17. Gracen
    • Origin:

      Elaboration of Grace, virtue name
    • Description:

      Grace, meet Grayson. The stylish classic girls' name Grace -- it's in the Top 20 -- and the trendy boys' name Grayson or Greyson, a member of the Jason-Mason-Cason club, combine to create the girls' name Gracen. For a little girl, we'd stop at Grace.
  18. Gracie
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Grace
    • Description:

      Cute Gracie is one of the more recently revived nickname names by parents who chose it over the more formal Grace--or variations like Graziella or Grania. Country singers Faith Hill and Tim McGraw cut straight to the nickname when they called one of their daughters Gracie, and actors Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt named their newborn daughter Gracie James. Gracie Gold is a popular young figure skater.
  19. Graham
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "gravelly homestead"
    • Description:

      Well used in England and Scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated Graham is catching on here.
  20. Greta
    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Margarethe
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo, but now synonymous with environmental activism.