Boy nameCurrently #1,167 in the USFalling
Gerald
JAIR-uld//ˈdʒɛrəld//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19426 lettersStarts with G
Meaning & origin
Rule of the spear
Gerald comes from the Germanic elements 'ger' (spear) and 'wald' (rule), meaning 'spear ruler'. Popular through the early-to-mid 20th century, it carries a sturdy, capable formality.
Gerald's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Gerald |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 11 |
| 1881 | 14 |
| 1882 | 15 |
| 1883 | 13 |
| 1884 | 19 |
| 1885 | 23 |
| 1886 | 28 |
| 1887 | 22 |
| 1888 | 30 |
| 1889 | 48 |
| 1890 | 44 |
| 1891 | 45 |
| 1892 | 62 |
| 1893 | 55 |
| 1894 | 75 |
| 1895 | 76 |
| 1896 | 95 |
| 1897 | 93 |
| 1898 | 100 |
| 1899 | 108 |
| 1900 | 157 |
| 1901 | 133 |
| 1902 | 151 |
| 1903 | 182 |
| 1904 | 201 |
| 1905 | 189 |
| 1906 | 191 |
| 1907 | 239 |
| 1908 | 270 |
| 1909 | 301 |
| 1910 | 294 |
| 1911 | 462 |
| 1912 | 934 |
| 1913 | 1,148 |
| 1914 | 1,475 |
| 1915 | 2,093 |
| 1916 | 2,272 |
| 1917 | 2,497 |
| 1918 | 2,736 |
| 1919 | 2,706 |
| 1920 | 3,178 |
| 1921 | 3,406 |
| 1922 | 3,564 |
| 1923 | 3,721 |
| 1924 | 4,172 |
| 1925 | 4,546 |
| 1926 | 5,171 |
| 1927 | 5,567 |
| 1928 | 5,527 |
| 1929 | 6,015 |
| 1930 | 6,522 |
| 1931 | 6,878 |
| 1932 | 7,391 |
| 1933 | 7,465 |
| 1934 | 7,865 |
| 1935 | 8,506 |
| 1936 | 9,056 |
| 1937 | 9,475 |
| 1938 | 10,009 |
| 1939 | 10,105 |
| 1940 | 10,280 |
| 1941 | 10,984 |
| 1942 | 11,520 |
| 1943 | 11,423 |
| 1944 | 10,059 |
| 1945 | 8,893 |
| 1946 | 10,067 |
| 1947 | 10,796 |
| 1948 | 9,879 |
| 1949 | 9,837 |
| 1950 | 9,765 |
| 1951 | 9,570 |
| 1952 | 9,063 |
| 1953 | 8,654 |
| 1954 | 8,588 |
| 1955 | 8,105 |
| 1956 | 8,024 |
| 1957 | 7,630 |
| 1958 | 6,899 |
| 1959 | 6,676 |
| 1960 | 6,602 |
| 1961 | 6,673 |
| 1962 | 6,265 |
| 1963 | 6,186 |
| 1964 | 5,902 |
| 1965 | 5,290 |
| 1966 | 4,893 |
| 1967 | 4,914 |
| 1968 | 4,504 |
| 1969 | 4,425 |
| 1970 | 4,442 |
| 1971 | 3,621 |
| 1972 | 2,831 |
| 1973 | 2,622 |
| 1974 | 2,437 |
| 1975 | 2,414 |
| 1976 | 2,159 |
| 1977 | 2,061 |
| 1978 | 1,908 |
| 1979 | 1,885 |
| 1980 | 1,836 |
| 1981 | 1,780 |
| 1982 | 1,740 |
| 1983 | 1,567 |
| 1984 | 1,457 |
| 1985 | 1,460 |
| 1986 | 1,465 |
| 1987 | 1,451 |
| 1988 | 1,412 |
| 1989 | 1,478 |
| 1990 | 1,451 |
| 1991 | 1,266 |
| 1992 | 1,182 |
| 1993 | 1,126 |
| 1994 | 954 |
| 1995 | 889 |
| 1996 | 822 |
| 1997 | 773 |
| 1998 | 671 |
| 1999 | 686 |
| 2000 | 680 |
| 2001 | 609 |
| 2002 | 556 |
| 2003 | 529 |
| 2004 | 552 |
| 2005 | 472 |
| 2006 | 465 |
| 2007 | 472 |
| 2008 | 415 |
| 2009 | 396 |
| 2010 | 348 |
| 2011 | 373 |
| 2012 | 346 |
| 2013 | 329 |
| 2014 | 281 |
| 2015 | 312 |
| 2016 | 284 |
| 2017 | 271 |
| 2018 | 242 |
| 2019 | 245 |
| 2020 | 230 |
| 2021 | 217 |
| 2022 | 206 |
| 2023 | 212 |
| 2024 | 178 |
Gerald through the decades
- Gerald peaked in 1942, when 11,520 babies were named Gerald in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Gerald has fallen 38% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Gerald currently ranks #1,167 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
GerryJerry
Variants & spellings
Geraldo
Famous people named Gerald
- Gerald Ford — US president