The masculine first name Gregory or Grégory comes from the Latin name "Gregorius," which is based on the Greek name "Γρηγόριος" (Grēgórios). This name means "watchful or alert," and it comes from the Greek word "egeiro," which means "to awaken or arouse." (See also the "Watcher angels" mentioned in the Second Book of Enoch.)

Through folk etymology, the name also became linked to the Latin word "grex" (with the stem "greg–"), meaning "flock" or "herd." This connection to a shepherd who carefully leads his flock helped make the name popular among monks and popes.

Sixteen popes and two opposing popes have used the name Gregorius, beginning with Pope Gregory I (also called Gregory the Great). It is the second most common name for popes, tied with Benedict, after John.

Although the name was not common in the early 1900s, it became one of the ten most popular male names in the United States in the 1950s after the actor Gregory Peck became famous. It has remained popular since then.

Name days

The Roman Catholic Church traditionally celebrated the feast of Saint Gregory (the Great) on March 12. In 1969, the church changed the date to September 3. However, March 12 is still recognized as Gregory's name day in most countries.

Gregory the Theologian, also called 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. Each of these three individuals has a separate feast day 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: جِرْجِير (Jirjir), جريج (Jurayj), جريجوري (Jirījūrī), غريغوري (Ghirīghūrī)
• Armenian: Գրիգոր (Western Armenian: Krikor; Eastern Armenian: Grigor)
• Belarusian: Рыгор (Ryhor)
• Bengali: গ্রেগরি (Grēgari)
• Bulgarian: Григор (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: Григорий (Grigoriy, Grigori, Grigory), with diminutives Гришa (Grisha), Гришка (Grishka)
• Scottish Gaelic: Griogair
• Scots: Gregor
• Serbian: Grigorije (Григорије), Gligorije (Глигорије), or Grgur (Гргур)
• Slovak: Gregor, Jerguš
• Slovene: Grega or Gregor
• 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

• Pope Gregory (different people with the same name)
• Patriarch Gregory (different people with the same name)
• Saint Gregory (different people with the same name)
• Gregory Asbestas (active between 844 and 880), archbishop of Syracuse
• Gregory of Nin, 10th century Croatian bishop and reformer
• Gregory of Narek (lived around 950 to 1003 or 1011), Armenian monk, philosopher, poet, and theologian
• Gregory (bishop of Győr) (died in 1241), Hungarian prelate
• Gregory Palamas (lived around 1296 to 1357 or 1359), archbishop, monk, and theologian
• Gregory of Rimini (lived around 1300 to 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 around 1964 or 1965), American Catholic priest

• Gregory (exarch), Exarch of Ravenna from 664 to 677
• Gregory of Benevento (died in 739 or 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)

• 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 Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), French golfer
• Grégory Bourdy (born 198

Fictional characters

• Gregory is the main character in the video game called Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach.
• Gregory is a character in the comic book series and television series, both named The Walking Dead.
• Gregory Heffley is the main character in the book series titled Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
• Gregory House is the main character in the television show House.