guy

Guy is a masculine given name used in many Western countries. It is also a common English noun meaning a man or a person, used informally as a vocative and widely in everyday speech.

The common noun “guy” originated in English in the 18th century from the name Guy Fawkes. During Bonfire Night, crowds burnt effigies of Guy Fawkes, called “guys.” The term then broadened to refer to a person in general and, in modern usage, to individuals of any gender in many casual contexts.

The given name Guy derives from French origins and has been used in England and other parts of Europe since the Middle Ages. It has variants such as Gui, and has been borne by writers, actors, politicians, and other public figures across history and culture.

Notable people with the given name include Guy Fawkes, the 17th-century English conspirator; Guy de Maupassant, the French short-story writer; Guy Ritchie, the English filmmaker; Guy Pearce, the Australian actor; and Guy Verhofstadt, the Belgian politician. In fiction, the name appears for various characters in comics, literature, and film.

In contemporary usage, “guy” remains common in informal speech as a generic term for people, though some style guides and contexts favor gender-neutral language or more formal terms in formal writing.