Meaning & Origin
A surname originating as an occupation for a maker or seller of garlands.
Garland is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old French origin, from the Old French garlande (garland, wreath of flowers), meaning 'garland' or 'wreath-maker' — an occupational surname for one who made decorative garlands and floral arrangements for festivals and celebrations.
With nearly 24,000 recorded births, Garland had its greatest American popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Judy Garland — born Frances Ethel Gumm — took a stage name that evoked flowers and festivity, making Garland synonymous with Hollywood golden-age glamour. The name has a floral warmth that suits both its occupational meaning and its association with one of cinema's most luminous stars.