The nameGuy
Guy is a Norman name with a knightly past. It was a top 70 American name in the 1890s.
- Boy's name
- Germanic
Meaning
Guy comes from the Germanic wid, "wood", or wit, "wide". It was later linked to the French guide.
Origin
Germanic, through Norman French.
History
Guy of Warwick was a hero of medieval English romance. Guy Fawkes gave the word guy to English. In England and Wales Guy reached 168th in 1996.
Did you know?
- Every 5 November, Bonfire Night marks the failure of Guy Fawkes's Gunpowder Plot to blow up Parliament in 1605.
- Guy de Maupassant wrote around three hundred short stories.
Famous people named Guy
- Guy Fawkes, conspirator
- Guy Ritchie, film director
- Guy de Maupassant, writer
Popularity of the name Guy
Guy in the United States
Guy was most popular in the United States in the 1950s, with 19,212 births over the decade, 21% of all recorded babies named Guy. Half of all babies named Guy in the United States were born before 1953, so it is mostly a grandparents' generation name. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 119 births a year on average, against 153 in the five years before.
Guy in the United Kingdom
Guy was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2000s, with 1,353 births over the decade, 51% of all recorded babies named Guy. Half of all babies named Guy in the United Kingdom were born before 2005, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 29 births a year on average, against 53 in the five years before.
Guy in France
Variants and related names
Sibling names for Guy
Names from the same generation as Guy, whose popularity in the United States has followed a similar path.
How many people are named Guy? See the counter → · What would your name be in 1950? · Name origin quiz
Compare Guy with another name
Meaning, origin and popularity of Guy side by side with the name of your choice.
Guy in our baby name lists
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Guy mean?
Guy comes from the Germanic wid, "wood", or wit, "wide". It was later linked to the French guide.
What is the origin of the name Guy?
Germanic, through Norman French.
Is Guy a girl's or a boy's name?
Guy is a boy's name.
How popular is the name Guy?
In 2024, Guy was the 1562nd most popular name for baby boys in the United States, with 111 births.
What are the variants of the name Guy?
Variants and related names of Guy include Guido, Guilaine, Guilène, Guylaine and Guylène.
What are good sibling names for Guy?
Names from the same generation, with a similar popularity in the United States: Charlene, Nadine, Rita and Daria for a sister, Bernard, Fredrick, Ervin and Konrad for a brother.
Who are famous people named Guy?
Guy Fawkes, conspirator; Guy Ritchie, film director; Guy de Maupassant, writer.