boy's name
Gerald
JER-uld
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 487,065
Northern Ireland
#361
2011 births
Gerald is a boy's name from Germanic elements meaning rule of the spear, and it gave Ireland one of its great Norman dynasties, the FitzGeralds. It charts in only three of our seven markets now.
- Gerald is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in 1942, when 11,521 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 19,734 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Gerald over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 223 |
| 1890s | 753 |
| 1900s | 2,014 |
| 1910s | 16,617 |
| 1920s | 44,866 |
| 1930s | 83,275 |
| 1940s | 103,738 |
| 1950s | 82,975 |
| 1960s | 55,659 |
| 1970s | 26,378 |
| 1980s | 15,644 |
| 1990s | 9,820 |
| 2000s | 5,146 |
| 2010s | 3,031 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,212 |
What Gerald means
Gerald means rule of the spear, or one who rules with a spear. The Germanic joins the word for a spear to one meaning rule or power, so both halves describe command in war.
Where Gerald comes from
Gerald comes from the Germanic Gerwald — ger, a spear, joined to wald, rule. It differs from Gerard only in that second element, spear-rule against spear-brave, and the two have been confused since the medieval period. Its Irish significance is disproportionate: Gerald of Windsor, a Norman constable in Wales, fathered the line that took Ireland in the twelfth century and became the FitzGeralds, earls of Kildare and Desmond, who dominated Irish politics for four hundred years and were described as more Irish than the Irish themselves. Gerald of Wales, the chronicler who wrote the earliest detailed account of the Norman invasion of Ireland, was a grandson of the same Gerald.
Gerald in use
Gerald peaked in the United States in 1942, when 11,521 babies were registered, and is falling in our data. It now charts in only three of our seven markets — 1208th in the United States on 168 births, 1445th in Canada and 2403rd in England and Wales — across 487,065 lifetime births. Notably it does not currently chart in Ireland, despite the FitzGerald dynasty being one of the most consequential families in Irish history.
How popular is Gerald?
In 2025, Gerald was given to 168 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Gerald is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Gerald is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Gérald | Gérald is a rare spelling of Gerald, written with an acute accent and recorded about 32,125 times, mostly in France. | 32,125 |
Names that peaked alongside Gerald
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Gerald also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Gerald over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Gerald
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Gerald in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Gerald
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Gerald — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Gerald
What does the name Gerald mean?
Rule of the spear — the Germanic ger, spear, joined to wald, rule.
Is Gerald the same as Gerard?
They differ in the second element: Gerald is spear-rule, Gerard spear-brave. They have been confused since the medieval period.
Where does FitzGerald come from?
From Gerald of Windsor, whose descendants took Ireland in the twelfth century and became the earls of Kildare and Desmond.
How popular is Gerald?
1208th in the United States. It does not currently chart in Ireland.
Is Gerald a girl's or a boy's name?
Gerald is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Gerald?
Gerald has 2 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Gerald?
Gerald is usually shortened to Gerry and Jerry.
Is Gerald a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Gerald currently ranks #1,208 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.