Gerald

Meaning: Ruler with the spear
Origin: Germanic

Nicknames: Jerry, Jheri

Boy's name · #1206 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Gerald belongs to an older America first — it reached #19 back in 1936 — yet it still appears in today's records at #1206. About 449,000 boys have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Gerald is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 19 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Gerald ranks in other countries and regions.

#335 in Ecuador (2025) · #395 in N. Ireland (2025) · #618 in Poland (2025) · #1,079 in Austria (2025) · #1,944 in Canada (2025) · #2,188 in Switzerland (2025) · #2,269 in England & Wales (2025) · #12,329 in Italy (2024) · #4,371 in France (2024) · #770 in Ireland (2023) · #274 in Puerto Rico (2020) · #687 in Scotland (2013) and 1 more.

Famous Geralds

Gerald Ford — President of the United States from 1974 to 1977 (1913–2006)
Gerald Edelman — American biologist (1929–2014)
Gerald Vanenburg — Dutch footballer (born 1964)
Gerald Durrell — British naturalist and writer (1925–1995)
Gerald Asamoah — German footballer (born 1978)
Gerald Gardner — British Wiccan leader (1884–1964)
Gerald Wallace — American basketball player (born 1982)
Gerald of Wales — Welsh clergyman and writer (c. 1146–1223)
Gérald Darmanin — French politician (born 1982)
Gérald Lacroix — Canadian Catholic prelate (born 1957)

In stories & tradition

Gerald Broflovski — South Park (TV series)
Gerald Robotnik — Sonic the Hedgehog character

What Geralds become

Among 2,934 notable people named Gerald:

Scientists & scholars appear 1.41× more often than among typical names — e.g. Gerald Edelman, American biologist (1929–2014).

Spellings & nicknames

Earlier generations knew Gerry — the standard of the 1950s. About 300 boys a year are given Jerry as their full name.

Similar names: Jerry · Bobby · Gerard · Billy · Ronald · Harold

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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