Origin and Meaning of Garfield

Field with a triangular shape

Origin: Old English - Derived from the Old English words 'gar' meaning 'spear' and 'feld' meaning 'field', thus referring to a triangular-shaped field.

• Garfield is traditionally an English surname, and it became more popular as a first name largely due to the character Garfield the cat from the comic strip created by Jim Davis.
• The name gained further recognition due to U.S. President James A. Garfield, who served from 1881 until his assassination the same year.
• Garfield the cat, first appearing in 1978, has made the name synonymous with laziness and love for lasagna, becoming an icon in popular culture.
• While Garfield is not among the most popular names today, it saw a notable spike in use during the late 20th century due to the cartoon's popularity.
• Variations of Garfield include Garf and Garfie, though they are rarely used.