A variant of Jarrett, likely from Germanic roots meaning spear-brave or strong with the spear.
Jarett is a variant spelling of Jarrett or Garrett, names that trace their lineage to Old Germanic roots. The name Garrett comes from the Germanic elements gar, meaning spear, and hard, meaning brave or strong — yielding the compound meaning brave with a spear or strong spearman. This was high praise in a warrior culture where a man's skill with a spear determined not just personal survival but the protection of family and community.
The name arrived in Britain with the Normans after 1066, where it settled alongside a cluster of ger-root names into the English naming canon. The Jarett spelling, with its J initial and doubled t, reflects the creative orthographic independence that has always characterized American naming. The name Jarrett in its various spellings was borne by several notable Americans, including Jarrett Allen, the NBA center, and Ned Jarrett, the NASCAR champion and broadcaster — both representing the name's continued vitality in American popular culture.
The J spelling in particular became popular in the latter half of the 20th century as parents sought names that felt familiar yet fresh, retaining the sound of a classic while visually standing apart. Today Jarett occupies useful middle ground: it is recognizable and easily pronounced on first encounter, carries a strong etymological spine, and yet is uncommon enough that a child named Jarett will rarely share the name with classmates. Its old meaning — spear-brave — speaks to a kind of forthright, grounded courage that has appealed to parents across many centuries and, in this particular spelling, continues to find new life.