This page lists 41 literary boy names that start with G, running from “Gabriel” to “Gerrit.” They come from epic poems, medieval romances, classic novels, and modern fantasy, and many carry old roots in Hebrew, Welsh, Germanic, and Norse. You can use the list to find a name for a baby, a fictional character, or a pet.
Literary boy names are names borne by characters, authors, or figures from books, poems, plays, and legends. A good example is “Gawain,” the knight of King Arthur’s court, whose name has inspired the modern favorite “Gavin.”
Below you’ll find the table with the name, origin, pronunciation, meaning, and description for each entry.
Name: The boy name itself, listed alphabetically from G, so you can scan quickly and spot the options that catch your eye.
Origin: The language or culture the name comes from, which helps you choose a name that fits your heritage or the style you want.
Pronunciation: A simple phonetic guide showing how to say each name aloud, so you can use it with confidence and avoid mix-ups.
Meaning: The traditional definition of the name, often tied to qualities like strength, wisdom, or peace, which you can weigh when making your choice.
Description: A short note on the book, story, or character linked to the name, showing you where it appears in literature and why it matters.
Literary boy names
Name
Origin
Pronunciation
Meaning
Gabriel
Hebrew
GAY-bree-el
God is my strength
Gaius
Latin
GAY-us
To rejoice
Galahad
Welsh
GAL-uh-had
Hawk of the plain (traditional)
Galen
Greek
GAY-len
Calm, tranquil
Gandalf
Old Norse
GAN-dalf
Wand elf
Gareth
Welsh
GAIR-eth
Gentle
Garrett
English/Irish
GAIR-et
Spear ruler
Gatsby
English
GAT-bee
Possibly from Gatty’s settlement
Gavin
Welsh
GAV-in
White hawk
Gawain
Welsh
GAH-wayn
White hawk (traditional)
Geoffrey
Old French
JEF-ree
Pledge of peace
George
Greek
JORJ
Farmer
Gerald
Germanic
JAIR-uld
Rule of the spear
Gerard
Germanic
juh-RARD
Brave with the spear
Gervase
Germanic
JUR-vus
Spear servant
Gilbert
Germanic
GIL-bert
Bright pledge
Giles
French/Greek
JILZ
Young goat (shield bearer)
Gilgamesh
Sumerian
GIL-guh-mesh
Possibly ancestor is a hero
Glendower
Welsh
glen-DOW-er
From the valley of the water
Godric
Old English
GOD-rik
God’s ruler
Godfrey
Germanic
GOD-free
God’s peace
Goliath
Hebrew
guh-LY-uth
Exile or diviner
Gollum
Invented
GOL-um
From the sound he makes
Gorlois
Cornish
GOR-loys
Unknown, possibly Cornish origin
Gower
Welsh
GOW-er
Pure (possibly)
Grendel
Old English
GREN-dul
Possibly grinder or destroyer
Gregor
Greek/Scottish
GREG-or
Watchful
Gregory
Greek
GREG-uh-ree
Watchful, alert
Griffin
Welsh/Latin
GRIF-in
Strong lord or mythical creature
Grigory
Russian
gri-GOR-ee
Watchful
Gulliver
English
GUL-ih-ver
Glutton (from the surname)
Gunnar
Old Norse
GUN-ar
Warrior
Gunther
Germanic
GUN-ter
Battle warrior
Gus
Latin/Swedish
GUS
Revered or staff of the gods
Gustav
Swedish
GOO-stahv
Staff of the Goths
Guy
French
GY
Guide or wood
Guido
Italian
GWEE-doh
Guide or wood
Gideon
Hebrew
GID-ee-un
Feller or hewer
Gabriel Oak
English
GAY-bree-el OHK
God is my strength, sturdy tree
Gaspard
French/Persian
GAS-pard
Treasurer
Gerrit
Dutch
GEH-rit
Brave with the spear
Descriptions
Gabriel
The archangel name appears in Milton’s Paradise Lost and as Gabriel Oak, the steadfast shepherd in Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd.
Gaius
A classic Roman name borne by Gaius Julius Caesar and Gaius Marius in Shakespeare’s Roman plays and countless historical novels.
Galahad
The purest knight of King Arthur’s court, who achieves the Holy Grail in Arthurian romances such as Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur.
Galen
Named for the ancient Greek physician, and used in fantasy fiction, including Galen Marek in Star Wars and several epic fantasy heroes.
Gandalf
The wise wizard of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, drawn from a dwarf name in the Old Norse Poetic Edda.
Gareth
A knight of the Round Table in Malory’s Arthurian tales, known for his courtesy and for being nicknamed Beaumains.
Garrett
Used in modern fiction, including Garrett Hawke-style heroes in fantasy and detective novels, and the Garrett P.I. series by Glen Cook.
Gatsby
Jay Gatsby is the mysterious millionaire of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, making the surname an unusual but striking first name.
Gavin
Derived from Gawain, the Arthurian knight of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and used for many modern characters.
Gawain
Nephew of King Arthur and hero of the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which tests his honor.
Geoffrey
Honors Geoffrey Chaucer, author of The Canterbury Tales, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, who popularized the King Arthur legend.
George
Appears in Of Mice and Men, as one of the Famous Five (Julian, Dick, Anne, George), and in Dickens’s and Austen’s works.
Gerald
Used for Gerald O’Hara, the Irish patriarch of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind.
Gerard
Seen in Dickens’s works and in the medieval romances, and tied to the humanist Desiderius Erasmus, born Gerard.
Gervase
A rare, old-fashioned name used in medieval chronicles and in English period novels and Gothic fiction.
Gilbert
Gilbert Blythe is Anne’s schoolmate and eventual husband in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables.
Giles
Giles Corey appears in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Giles is the librarian in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a character in Shakespeare.
Gilgamesh
The king of Uruk in the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest surviving works of literature.
Glendower
Owain Glyndwr appears as Owen Glendower in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, as a proud Welsh rebel with magical claims.
Godric
Godric Gryffindor is a founder of Hogwarts in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
Godfrey
Godfrey of Bouillon appears in Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered, and the name appears in many Victorian novels.
Goliath
The giant slain by David in the Book of Samuel, used in literature as a symbol of overwhelming strength.
Gollum
The twisted creature obsessed with the One Ring in Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, formerly known as Sméagol.
Gorlois
Duke of Cornwall in Arthurian legend, whose wife Igraine is the mother of Arthur, per Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Gower
John Gower was a medieval poet and friend of Chaucer, and he serves as the narrator in Shakespeare’s Pericles.
Grendel
The monster slain by the hero in the Old English epic Beowulf, retold from Grendel’s view in John Gardner’s novel Grendel.
Gregor
Gregor Samsa is the traveling salesman who wakes up as a giant insect in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis.
Gregory
Gregory appears in Romeo and Juliet as a Capulet servant, and in many novels, including those of Dostoevsky and Gogol (as Grigory).
Griffin
Linked to Gryffindor in Harry Potter and Griffin, the scientist in H.G. Wells’s The Invisible Man.
Grigory
Grigory Melekhov is the tragic Cossack hero of Mikhail Sholokhov’s And Quiet Flows the Don.
Gulliver
Lemuel Gulliver is the traveler in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, visiting Lilliput and other fantastic lands.
Gunnar
A hero of Norse sagas, including Gunnar Hámundarson in Njáls saga and Gunnar in the Volsunga saga.
Gunther
King Gunther of Burgundy is a central figure in the medieval German epic Nibelungenlied and Wagner’s Ring cycle.
Gus
A short form of Augustus or Gustav, used for Gus Fring, Augustus McCrae (Gus) in Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove.
Gustav
Gustav von Aschenbach is the aging writer in Thomas Mann’s novella Death in Venice.
Guy
Guy of Gisborne appears in the Robin Hood tales, and Guy Montag is the fireman in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.
Guido
Guido Guinizelli and Guido Cavalcanti are poets mentioned in Dante’s work, and Guido appears in Browning’s The Ring and the Book.
Gideon
A biblical judge who appears in Moby-Dick references and in works such as Gideon Nav in Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth.
Gabriel Oak
The reliable, quietly devoted farmer in Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, an enduring romantic hero of Victorian fiction.
Gaspard
A form of Caspar, one of the Three Wise Men, appearing in French novels such as Dickens’s contemporaries and in Maupassant-style stories.
Gerrit
Used in Dutch literature and in historical fiction, including Gerrit in Fenimore Cooper-era American tales.
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