Gaits

Gaits is a Latvian male name borne by over 5000 men in Latvia. The etymology of the name is disputed. Some suggestions include a possible relation to the Latvian word gatavs ('ready', 'mature') or the origin of an old form of the word 'cat' (kaķis). Other versions suggest its possible relation to the old Latvian word 'gātis', meaning gates or source of a river. This word can also be translated as a causeway, path, or road. This name may symbolize aspiration, forward movement, and achievement of goals. The name is one of the relatively few surviving names of indigenous origin from the large number that were revived or introduced during the Latvian national awakening of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.