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Gregory is a common masculine first name and family name. It is derived from the Latin "Gregorius," which was from the late Greek name "Γρηγόριος" (Gregorios), which was derived from "γήγορος" (gegoros) meaning "watchful, alert".Through folk etymology, the name also became associated with grex and gregis ("flock" and "herd"). The associations with a shepherd who diligently guides his flock is part of the reason that the name has been popular with monks, priest and popesThere have been 16 popes with the name, starting with Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great). It is the second-most popular name for pope, along with Benedict, after John. Because of this background, it is also a very common name for saints. 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 1950s and has remained popular since.
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Arkansas, USA
