Gerald is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Gerald means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Gerald across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Gerald has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Gerald is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “rule of the spear”. introduced to Britain by the Normans.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 451,351 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 369 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 541 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 34 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 1,537 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 104 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Gerald per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1942 (11,521/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1964 (94/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1976 (52/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (23/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (9/yr).
Gerald has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1942, when it ranked #43 nationally (given to 11,521 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Gerold · Garold · Geraldo · Garald · Gareld · Geralda · Gerlad · Gerrald
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