The masculine first name Gregory or Grégory derives from the Latin name "Gregorius", which came from the late Greek name "Γρηγόριος" (Grēgórios) meaning "watchful, alert" (derived from "ἐγείρω" "egeiro" meaning "to awaken, arouse"). (See also the egrḗgoroi or Watcher angels in Second Book of Enoch).
Through folk etymology, the name also became associated with Latin grex (stem greg–) meaning "flock" or "herd". This association with a shepherd who diligently guides his flock contributed to the name's popularity among monks and popes.
Sixteen popes and two antipopes have used the name Gregorius, starting with Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great). It is tied with Benedict as the second-most popular name for popes, after John.
Although the name was uncommon in the early 20th century, after the popularity of the actor Gregory Peck it became one of the ten most common male names in the United States in the 1950s and has remained popular since.
Name days The Roman Catholic Church traditionally held the feast of Saint Gregory (the Great) on March 12, but changed it to September 3 in 1969. March 12 remains the name day for Gregory in most countries.
Gregory the Theologian (also known as Gregory of Nazianzus) is one of the Three Hierarchs (Ancient Greek: Οἱ Τρεῖς Ἱεράρχαι; Greek: Οι Τρεις Ιεράρχες). The other two are Basil the Great, also known as Basil of Caesarea and John Chrysostom. All three have separate feast days in January: Basil on January 1, Gregory on January 25, and Chrysostom on January 27.
Forms in different languages Albanian: Grigor, Gregor, Gërgur Amharic: ጎርጎሪዯስ (Gorgorios) Arabic: (Jirjir), (Jurayj), (Jirījūrī), (Ghirīghūrī) Armenian: Գրիգոր (Western Armenian: Krikor; Eastern Armenian: Grigor) Belarusian: (Ryhor) Bengali: গ্রেগরি (Grēgari) Bulgarian: (Grigor) Catalan: Gregori Chinese: 格雷戈里 (Géléigēlǐ), 格里高利 (Gélǐgāolì) Croatian: Grgur, Grga or Grgo Czech: Řehoř Danish: Gregers Dutch: Gregoor, Gregorius English: Gregory, also Gregg, Greg Estonian: Reigo Faroese: Grækaris Finnish: Reijo or Reko French: Grégoire or Grégory Filipino Gregorio Georgian: გრიგოლი (Grigoli, Grigori) German: Gregor Greek: Γρηγόριος (Grigorios, Gri̱górios, Gregorios), Γρηγόρης (Grigoris, Gregoris) Gujarati: ગ્રેગરી (Grēgarī) Hebrew: גרגורי Hindi: ग्रेगोरी (Grēgōrī) Hungarian: Gergely, Gergő or Transylvanian: Gerő Icelandic: Gregor Indonesian: Gregorius, Gregory Irish: Gréagóir Italian: Gregorio Japanese: Guregori (グレゴリー) Kannada: ಗ್ರೆಗೊರಿ (Gregori) Korean: 그레고리오 (Geulegolio) Latin: Gregorius Latvian: Gregors Lithuanian: Grigalius, Grigas or Gregoras, Gregorijus Macedonian: Григориј, Grigorij Maltese: Girgor Marathi: ग्रेगोरी (Grēgōrī) Mongolian: Грегори, Gryegori Nepali: ग्रेगरी, Grēgarī Norwegian: Greger or Gregers Persian: گرگوری Polish: Grzegorz, diminutives Grześ, Grzesiu, Grzesio, Grzesiek Portuguese: Gregório Romanian: Grigore or Gligor Russian: (Grigoriy, Grigori, Grigory), with diminutives (Grisha), (Grishka) Scottish Gaelic: Griogair Scots: Gregor, Greig (diminutive) Serbian: Grigorije (Григорије), Gligorije (Глигорије), or Grgur (Гргур) Slovak: , Slovene: or Spanish: Gregorio Swedish: Greger Tamil: கிரிகோரி (Kirikōri) Telugu: గ్రెగొరీ (Gregorī) Thai: เกรกอรี or เกรกกอรี (Gregori, Greggori, Krekori, Krekkori) Turkish: Krikor or Grigor Ukrainian: Григорій (Hryhoriy), Гриць(ко) (Hryts(ko)) Urdu: گریگوری Welsh: Grigor Yiddish: גרעגאָרי, Gregori
Notable people named Gregory
Religious figures Pope Gregory (disambiguation) Patriarch Gregory (disambiguation) Saint Gregory (disambiguation) Gregory Asbestas (), archbishop of Syracuse Gregory of Nin, 10th century Croatian bishop and reformer Gregory of Narek (c. 950–1003/1011), Armenian monk, philosopher, poet, and theologian Gregory (bishop of Győr) (died 1241), Hungarian prelate Gregory Palamas (c. 1296–1357 or 1359), archbishop, monk, and theologian Gregory of Rimini (c. 1300–1358), philosopher and theologian Gregory IV of Athens, Metropolitan of Athens Gregory (Afonsky) (1925–2008), Archbishop of Sitka and Alaska Gregory Karotemprel (born 1933), Syro–Malabar bishop Gregory Greiten (born ), an American Catholic priest
Aristocrats Gregory (exarch), Exarch of Ravenna 664–677 Gregory of Benevento (died 739/740), Italian duke Gregory I of Naples, Duke of Naples (739–755) Gregory II of Naples, Duke of Naples (767–794) Gregory III of Naples, Duke of Naples (864–870) Gregory IV of Naples, Duke of Naples (898–915)
Other Gregory Abbott (born 1954), American composer, musician, singer, and record producer Gregory Abowd (born 1964), American computer scientist Gregory H. Adamian (1926–2015), American college administrator and lawyer Gregory Agboneni (born 1948), Nigerian military administrator and soldier Grégory Alldritt (born 1997), French rugby player Gregory Amenoff (born 1948), American painter Gregory Areshian (1949–2020), Armenian–American archaeologist and historian Grégory Arganese (born 1982), French rugby player Gregory Arkhurst (born 1976), Ivorian swimmer Grégory Arnolin (born 1980), French soccer player Gregory Asgarali (born 1947), Trinidadian cricket player Gregory Balestrero (born 1947), American industrial engineer Gregory Bateson (1904–1980), English anthropologist and linguist Grégory Bauge (born 1985), French racing cyclist Gregory Baum (1923–2017), German–born Canadian priest and theologian Gregory Bayne (born 1972), South African rower Gregory Beale (born 1949), American professor and theologian Gregory Bedny (1938–2018), Ukrainian–American psychologist Gregory Beecroft (born 1952), American actor Gregory Benford (born 1941), American astrophysicist and author Gregory Benko (born 1952), Australian fencer Gregory Beroza (born 1959), American professor and seismologist Gregory Berríos (born 1979), Puerto Rican volleyball player Gregory Betts (born 1975), Canadian poet and professor Gregory Beylkin (born 1953), Russian–American mathematician Gregory J. Bonann (born 1952), American lifeguard, showrunner, and television producer Gregory Brathwaite (born 1969), Barbadian cricket umpire Gregory Brenes (born 1988), Costa Rican cyclist Gregory Brigman (born 1987), American paralympic soccer player and referee Gregory H. Botz (born 1962), American physician Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer Grégory Bourillon (born 1984), French soccer player Gregory Buchakjian (born 1971), Lebanese filmmaker, photographer, and art historian Gregory Burke (born 1968), Scottish playwright Gregory Cahill (born 1982), American filmmaker and film producer Gregory Carigiet (born 1987), Swiss luger Grégory Cerdan (born 1982), French soccer player Gregory Chaitin (born 1947), Argentine–American computer scientist and mathematician Gregory Chamitoff (born 1962), American astronaut Gregory Chaney (born 1981), American politician Gregory Charles (born 1968), Canadian musician and singer Gregory S. Chirikjian (born 1966), American mathematician and roboticist Gregory Chow (born 1930), Chinese–American economist Gregory R. Ciottone (born 1965), American physician Gregory Clifton (born 1968), American football player Gregory Coates (born 1961), American artist Gregory Cochran (born 1953), American anthropologist and author Gregory Colbert (born 1960), Canadian photographer Gregory Corbitt (born 1971), Australian field hockey player Gregory Corso (1930–2001), American poet Gregory Costantino (born 1960), American politician Grégory Coupet (born 1972), French soccer player Gregory B. Craig (born 1945), American lawyer and politician Gregory Crewdson (born 1962), American photographer Gregory Cusack (born 1943), American politician Gregory Damons (born 1995), South African soccer player Gregory Daniel (born 1994), American cyclist Gregory Deighan (born 1939), Canadian politician Gregory Doran (born 1958), English stage director Grégory Dubois (born 1975), French ice hockey player Grégory Dufer (born 1981), Belgian soccer player Grégory Dufrennes (born 1983), French soccer player Gregory Duralev (born 1979), Russian bodybuilder, businessman, and economist Gregory Durand (born 1977), French speed skater Grégory Duruz (born 1977), Swiss soccer player Grégory Dutil (born 1980), French soccer player Gregory Echenique (born 1990) Venezuelan basketball player Gregory W. Engle (born 1954), German–born American diplomat Gregory Euclide (born 1974), American painter and teacher Gregory A. Feest (born 1956), American major general Gregory L. Fenves (born 1957), American professor and structural engineer Gregory S. Forbes (born 1950), American meteorologist Gregory Franchi (born 1982), Belgian racing driver Gregory Frost (born 1951), American novelist Gregory Gagnon (born 1972), American major general Grégory Galbadon (born 1973), French politician Gregory Galloway (born 1962), American writer Gregory G. Garre (born 1964), American lawyer and politician Grégory Gaultier (born 1982), French squash player Gregory Gaye (1900–1993), Russian–American actor Gregory Gillespie (1936–2000), American painter Gregory Goodridge (born 1971), Barbadian soccer player Gregory Gourdet (born 1975), American chef and restaurateur Gregory Grefenstette (born 1956), French–American computer scientist and professor Gregory Haddad (born 1966), American politician Gregory Haerr (born 1957), American entrepreneur Gregory Haimovsky (born 1926), Russian pianist and writer Gregory Halpern (born 1977), American photographer and teacher Gregory J. Harbaugh (born 1956), American astronaut and astronautical engineer Gregory Harrison (born 1950), American actor Gregory T. Haugan (born 1931), American author Gregory P. Hawkins (born 1957), American lawyer, teacher, and writer Gregory Heisler (born 1954), American photographer Gregory Helms (born 1974), American professional wrestler Gregory Henriquez (born 1963), Canadian architect Gregory Herbert (1947–1978), American saxophonist Gregory M. Herek (born 1954), American author and professor Gregory Herman (born 1972), American fashion designer Gregory Hines (1946–2003), American actor, choreographer, dancer, and singer Gregory Hoblit (born 1944), American filmmaker and television producer Gregory Hogeboom (born 1982), Canadian ice hockey player Gregory Huber (born 1956), American judge, lawyer, and politician Gregory C. Huffman (born 1967), American rear admiral Gregory Iron (born 1986), American professional wrestler Gregory Isaacs (1951–2010), Jamaican musician Gregory Alan Isakov (born 1979), South African–born American singer and songwriter Gregory Itzin (1948–2022), American actor Gregory Jaczko (born 1970), American physicist and politician Gregory Jagenburg (born 1957), American swimmer Gregory Jarvis (1944–1986), American astronaut and engineer Gregory Jbara (born 1961), American actor and singer Gregory Kaidanov (born 1959), Ukrainian–born American chess grandmaster Gregory Kats (born 1959), American businessman and environmentalist Gregory G. Katsas (born 1964), American judge Gregory Kealey (born 1948), Canadian historian Gregory Kelley (1944–1961), American figure skater Gregory Keyes (born 1963), American writer Gregory Kimble (1917–2006), American professor and psychologist Gregory Kirchhoff (born 1992), German filmmaker Gregory Kolovakos (1951–1990), American activist and literary translator Gregory Kondos (1923–2021), American painter Gregory Kotrotsios (born 1984), Greek basketball player Gregory Kramer (born 1952), American author, composer, inventor, and meditation teacher Gregory Kuisch (born 2000), Dutch soccer player Gregory Kunde (born 1954), American operatic tenor Gregory La Cava (1892–1952), American filmmaker Grégory Labille (born 1968), French politician Gregory Lavelle (born 1963), American politician Gregory Lekhtman (born 1946), Russian–Canadian entrepreneur and inventor