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Nicknames for Gary

Gar, G, Gaz, Garebear, Big G, Gary The Snail, G-man, Gazza, The big cheese

Meanings and history of the name Gary

According to some sources, Gary comes from a Germanic root meaning "spear". However, the name was almost unknown (see NameVoyager graph) until the rise of charismatic actor Gary Cooper in the late 1920s. He was born Frank James Cooper. In 1925, he took the name Gary on the advice of casting director Nan Collins, who felt it evoked the "rough, tough" nature of her native Gary, Indiana. In the years that followed, Gary Cooper became a major film star and thousands of babies were named for him.

Famous real-life people named Gary

Gary Lineker, former captain of England Football Team
Gary Oldman, English actor, writer and director.
Gary Sinise, American actor and film director
Gary Cooper, American western film actor and iconic star.
Gary Trudeau, American cartoonist (Doonesbury.)
Gary Larson, American cartoonist (Far Side.)
Sen. Gary Hart, former U.S. presidential candidate.
Gary Gambucci, American ice hockey forward.
Gary Cole, American actor.
Gary Coleman, American child actor.
Gary Paulsen, author of survival story Hatchet
Gary Dourdan, American actor.
Gary Busey, Actor
Gary "Gaz" Beadle, British reality star
Gary DelAbbate, radio producer

Gary in song, story & screen

Gary the Snail, character in the Spongebob Squarepants cartoon.
Gary Ewing, fictional character played by Ted Shackelford on the television shows "Knots Landing" and "Dallas."
"Dysentery Gary", a song by blink-182
"Gary, Indiana", a song from The Music Man.