Gerald

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Gerald

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Gerald is the English form of an Old Germanic name, Gairovald. Originally it meant “Spear Ruler,” from “ger” (spear) and “wald” (rule).

History:
Gerald was introduced to England by the Normans. It was too easily confused with Gerard, however, and died out by the 13th century. The name, however, remained in steady use in Ireland (where the Fitzgeralds family was prominent). In England, Gerald was revived in the late 19th century, where it remains far more popular than Gerard.

Pronunciation: JERR-ald.

Diminutives: Ged, Gerry, Gert, Jed, Jerry.

Alternates: Jerold, Gary, Garrick.
Dutch: Garritt, Gerrit, Gerritt.
French: Geraud, Giraud.
Hawaiian: Kelala, Kelola.
Irish Gaelic: Gearóid.
Latin: Giraldus.
Spanish: Geraldo.
Welsh: Gerallt.

Surnames: Garett, Garret, Garrett, Garrison, Jarrett, Jarritt.
Norman French: Fitzgerald.

Feminine: Geraldine.

See also: Garrett, Jerry.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Gerald Griffin (1803-1840)
Irish writer.
Gerald Berners (1883-1950)
British composer.
Gerald Murphy (1888-1964)
American painter.
Gerald Brockhurst (1891-1997)
English artist.
Gerald Moore (1899-1987)
English pianist.
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
English composer.
Geraldo Bessa Victor (1917-)
Angolan poet.
Gerald “Gerry” Mulligan (1927-1996)
American jazz musician.
Gerald Arpino (1928-)
American ballet dancer.
Gerald Vizenor (1934-)
American writer.
Gerald Scarfe (1936-)
British caricaturist.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales) (1146-1223)
British archbishop and historian.
Geraud Cordemoy (1620-1684)
French historian.
Gerald Gunther (1927-)
American legal scholar.

Fictional Characters:
Gerald O’Hara (1936)
Character from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind.

Miscellaneous:
Gerald Brant (1880-1958)
American aviator.
Gerald Brenan (1894-1987)
American travel writer.
Sir Gerald Templer (1898-1979)
English soldier.
Gérald Piaget (1918-1997)
Swiss watchmaker.

Political Figures:
Gerald Fitzgerald, Earl of Desmond (1538-1583)
Irish noble who rebelled against England.
Geraud-Christophe-Michel- Duroc, Duc de Frioul (1772-1813)
French diplomat under Napoleon.
Gerald P. Nye (1892-1971)
American senator.
Gerald R. Ford (1913-)
38th President of the United States.
Gerry Adams (1948-)
President of the Sinn Fein.

Religious Figures:
Gerald E. Carter (1912-)
Archbishop of Toronto.

Scientists:
Gerald Pearson (1905-)
American physicist.
Gerald Durrell (1925-1995)
British naturalist.
Gerald L. Klerman (1928-1992)
American psychiatrist.
Gerald Maurice Edelman (1929-)
American biochemist. Co-winner of the 1972 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology.

Singers and Entertainers:
Sir Gerald du Maurier (1873-1934)
British actor.
Geraldo Rivera (1943-)
American television personality.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.432 % named Jerry
0.309 % named Gerald
0.029 % named Garrett
0.011 % named Gerry
0.005 % named Jed
0.006 % named Jerold
0.004 % named Geraldo
0.004 % named Garret

Popularity of Gerald:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 120th most popular.
1910-1920: 83rd most popular.
1920-1930: 45th most popular.
1930-1940: 21st most popular.
1940-1950: 26th most popular.
1950-1960: 46th most popular.
1960-1970: 62nd most popular.
1970-1980: 104th most popular.
1980-1990: 175th most popular.
1990: 212th most popular.
1991: 238th most popular.
1992: 249th most popular.
1993: 259th most popular.
1994: 285th most popular.
1995: 291st most popular.
1996: 318th most popular.
1997: 333rd most popular.
1998: 379th most popular.
1999: 372nd most popular.
2000: 378th most popular.
2001: 407th most popular.
2002: 442nd most popular.
2003: 471st most popular.

In France...
1900-1930: N/A
1932: 173rd most popular.
1940: 120th most popular.
1950: 85th most popular.
1960: 98th most popular.
1970: 80th most popular.
1980: 94th most popular.
1985: 174th most popular.
1990-2000: N/A

Popularity of Gerry:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1930: N/A
1930-1940: 575th most popular.
1940-1950: 396th most popular.
1950-1960: 206th most popular.
1960-1970: 477th most popular.
1970-1980: 801st most popular.
1980-2000: N/A

Popularity of Jed:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1950: N/A
1950-1960: 745th most popular.
1960-1970: 765th most popular.
1970-1980: 654th most popular.
1980-1990: 690th most popular.
1990-2000: N/A

Popularity of Jerold:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1930: N/A
1930-1940: 602nd most popular.
1940-1950: 478th most popular.
1950-1960: 650th most popular.
1960-1970: 698th most popular.
1970-2000: N/A