Gerald

The name Gerald means 'the one who rules with a spear.' It originates from the old Germanic name Gerwald, which is composed of the Old High German words ger (spear) and waltan (to rule).

What does the name Gerald mean?

The name Gerald means 'the one who rules with a spear.' It originates from the old Germanic name Gerwald, which is composed of the Old High German words ger (spear) and waltan (to rule). Gerald is primarily found in Germany, France, and the British Isles. It is believed that the Normans contributed to the name's transition from the French Normandy (French spelling Gérald) to England during the Middle Ages. The name was frequently given as a baby name until the 1960s. However, it has since fallen out of fashion in Great Britain, France, and Germany and plays a minor role in name choices today. An even older form of the name than Gerald is Gerold. A French variant is Géraud, the Spanish and Portuguese form is Geraldo, the Italian form is Giraldo, and the Polish form is Gierałd. Common short forms of Gerald are Gerry and Jerry.

Where does the name Gerald come from?

The etymology of Gerald traces back to the Germanic name Gerwald, which is composed of the Old High German 'ger' (spear) and 'waltan' (to rule). Old High German Old Saxon

How do you pronounce Gerald?

The sound and pronunciation of Gerald: The name Gerald is two syllables and structured. In German pronunciation, it is usually spoken as 'Ge-rald' [ˈɡeːʁalt], starting with a long E sound that conveys brightness. The rolled or guttural 'r' adds depth to the sound. The consonant combination '-ld' at the end provides a firm closure. Thus, Gerald appears solid and tradition-conscious - calm, classic, and steadfast.

When is the name day of Gerald?

Gerald's name day is on March 13, October 13, December 5, and December 7.

Popularity

Gerald is a very popular first name in Germany. Currently, it ranks 1,344th on the list of the most common male baby names. Its best ranking was in 1965 at 176th place. In the last ten years, Gerald has been given as a first name about 140 times, placing it 1,992nd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,924th.

Nicknames & pet names

Aldo / Arold / Dali / Gege / Geraldino / Geraldinu / Geraldo / Gerdsch / Gere / Geri / Gerl / Gerli / Germuz / Geronaldo / Gerri / Gerrison / Gerry / Gertschi / Grassdackel / Jerry / Raldi / Ralle

Similar first names

Famous people

• Gerald Abrahams (Italian chess player)
• Gerald Asamoah (footballer)
• Gerald Auger (actor from Canada)
• Gerald Bernardet (football player from France)
• Gerald Binke (German ballet dancer)
• Gerald Boundy (British cricketer)
• Gerald Brenan (Maltese writer)
• Gerald Celente (American trend forecaster, author, and entrepreneur)
• Gerald Cid (French football player)
• Gerald Ciolek (German racing cyclist)
• Gerald Clough Dunning (archaeologist)
• Gerald Davies (English rugby player)
• Gerald de Palmas (French singer)
• Gerald Durrell (Gerald Malcolm Durrell) Indian zoologist and author)
• Gerald Ehrmann (former Bundesliga goalkeeper in Kaiserslautern and Cologne)
• Gerald Ernest Cuenot (actor from France)
• Gerald Feinberg (physicist from America)
• Gerald Ford (38th President of the USA)
• Gerald Forschelet (Polynesian football player)
• Gerald Fredrick Toben (German writer)