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Gareth (given name)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gareth
Pronunciation[ˈɡarɛθ]
GenderMale
Language(s)Welsh
Origin
Word/nameunknown
MeaningGentleness
Region of originBritain

Gareth is a Welsh masculine given name.[1] The name's popularity in Wales may be as a hypocorism of Geraint, which itself became popular after the famous hero and king of Dumnonia.[2][1]

The modern name appears in Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory,[3] in which it belongs to Sir Gareth, a brother of Sir Gawain and one of the Knights of the Round Table. Malory either based the name on Gahariet (a name found in French Arthurian texts) or on the Welsh word gwaredd, meaning "gentleness".[2][4]

Notable people and characters named Gareth include:

People

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Fictional characters

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (2003), A dictionary of first names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0198606052
  2. ^ a b "Welsh Names" (PDF). Twf Cymru. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Concerning the Names Gareth and Garth". medievalscotland.org. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  4. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Gareth". Behind the Name: the etymology and history of first names. Retrieved 2 September 2012.