Variant of Gary, possibly from a Norman name meaning spear, or Irish 'gearr' meaning short.
Garry is a variant spelling of Gary, a name with Germanic roots most likely derived from a shortened form of names containing the element 'gar,' meaning spear — such as Gerard, Gareth, or Gerhard. The 'gar' element was common in Old High German and Old Norse warrior naming traditions, where the spear was not merely a weapon but a symbol of a warrior's purpose and authority. The name entered English-speaking cultures through Norman French forms of these Germanic names and gradually simplified into the monosyllabic Gary, with the Garry variant offering a slightly more elaborate orthography.
The name surged in mid-20th century America, driven in significant part by the popularity of film actor Gary Cooper, the quiet, laconic embodiment of American frontier virtue whose career from the 1920s through the 1950s made him one of Hollywood's greatest stars. The Garry spelling was used by several notable figures who gave the variant its own distinct presence — Garry Shandling, the comedian and creator of 'The Larry Sanders Show,' brought sardonic, self-aware humor to American television; Garry Kasparov, the chess grandmaster (born Garik), became the world's greatest player and later a prominent political dissident. Canadian cartoonist Garry Trudeau has sustained 'Doonesbury' since 1970, making it one of the longest-running political comic strips in history.
Gary and Garry peaked in American popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, when they ranked among the most common male names in the country. Like many names of that era — Larry, Barry, Terry — they have since receded significantly, carrying now the warm, slightly dated texture of a father's or grandfather's generation. This generational patina may well become an asset as mid-century names begin their inevitable nostalgic revival.