Gertrud

Gertrud is a traditional old German female name that originates from Old High German or Old Germanic language.

What does the name Gertrud mean?

Gertrud is a traditional old German female name that originates from Old High German or Old Germanic language. The name is interpreted as either 'the strong one with the spear', 'the powerful spear fighter', 'the one born under the powerful spear' (as the spear was once a status symbol of noble birth) or, more recently, 'the one familiar with the spear'. Gertrud can be derived from two compound Old High German name components. The first part refers to the word ger for 'the spear' or 'javelin'. The second part originally comes from the element trud for 'strong', 'the power', and 'the violence', but was reinterpreted in Old High German times to trut for 'familiar' and 'dear'. The Hungarian spelling of the name is Gertrúd. In Germany, the name was one of the most popular baby names from 1900 to the mid-1920s. However, since 1960, this name has been rarely given to newborn girls. Notable bearers of the name include: Gertrud von Helfta, a German Benedictine, mystic, and theologian. She is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and is listed in the general Roman calendar to be celebrated on November 16 during the entire Latin rite. Gertrud von Aldenberg was the daughter of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and Landgrave Ludwig IV of Thuringia. She became a canoness at the Aldenberg convent near Wetzlar in the Diocese of Trier, where she spent much of her life leading the community as abbess. Other variants include Gertruda (Lithuanian, Polish, Slovak, and Czech), Gertrude, Gertrudis (Latinized), Gertrudes (Portuguese), Geertruida (Frisian), Giertrud, Gjertrud, Gertraud, Gertrauda, Gertraude, Gertraut, Gertraute, Gardrud, Gerthrud, Gertrun, Gertrut, Geltrude (Italian), Kertu (Estonian), and Kerttu, Kerttuli (Finnish).

Where does the name Gertrud come from?

Etymology The girl's name Gertrud originally comes from the Old High German language but traces back to Old Germanic word components. The name is derived from the two elements ger for 'the spear' and trud for 'strong', 'the power', or 'the violence'. In newer interpretations, however, the expression trut for 'familiar' and 'dear' is used as the second element. Old Germanic Old High German

How do you pronounce Gertrud?

Sound & Pronunciation of Gertrud: The name Gertrud is two syllables and has a strong sound. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'Ger-trud' [ˈɡɛʁtʁuːt], with the consonant combination in the center providing a solid structure. The long 'u' in the second syllable adds depth to the sound. Gertrud appears strong and tradition-conscious - dignified, stable, and present.

When is the name day of Gertrud?

The name day of Gertrud is March 17 (Gertrud of Nivelles), November 16, and November 17 (Gertrud of Helfta).

Popularity

In Germany, the name Gertrud was among the absolute top names from 1880 to 1933 for more than five decades. Since 1880, it consistently ranked within the top 10. Between 1904 and 1918, it almost continuously held the top position (rank 1). The years 1922 (rank 3), 1923 (rank 2), and 1928 (rank 4) further underline its extraordinary dominance. This phase marks one of the longest peaks of a first name in the statistics.

Nicknames & pet names

Galle / Gerd / Gerdi / Geritrud / Gertel / Gerti / Gesa / Rüdchen / Traudl / Trude / Trudel / Truderl / Trudgred / Trudi / Trudäli / Trulla / Trutchen / Trüdile / Tully

Similar first names

Famous people

• Gertrud Berger (American painter)
• Gertrud Brendler (German actress)
• Gertrud Buder (German designer)
• Gertrud Busch (writer from Germany)
• Gertrud Felsegg (theater actress from Germany)
• Gertrud Fussenegger (Austrian author, pseudonym: Anna Egger)
• Gertrud Gröninger (German sculptor)
• Gertrud Häfner (writer from the USA)
• Gertrud Heizmann (Swiss writer)
• Gertrud Kappel (German opera singer)
• Gertrud Ladanyi (badminton player from Hungary)
• Gertrud Leistikow (dancer from Germany)
• Gertrud Leutenegger (Swiss writer)
• Gertrud Louise Goldschmidt (German artist)
• Gertrud Luckner (Freiburg resistance fighter)
• Gertrud Meyen (actress from Germany)
• Gertrud Pfander (Swiss writer)
• Gertrud Platz (German archaeologist)
• Gertrud Porsche-Schinkeova (German luger)
• Gertrud Richert (German art historian)