Boy
Germanic
2 syllables
Gerald
JAIR-uld
/ˈdʒɛr.əld/
"Rule of the spear" — a name of warrior authority and commanding strength
Gerald is derived from the Germanic Gerwald, composed of ger meaning spear and wald meaning rule. Introduced to England by the Normans after 1066, it became a name of the medieval nobility. It enjoyed great popularity through the mid-20th century but has since taken on a vintage charm, associated with figures like President Gerald Ford and jazz musician Gerald Wilson.
Quick Facts
Letters6
SyllablesGer · ald
GenderBoy
OriginGermanic
Root WordGerwald
MeaningRule of the spear
PopularityClassic
Peak Year1940
Trend
→ Stable
Name DayOctober 13
Nicknames
GerryJerryGer
About the Name Gerald
Gerald means rule of the spear, from the Germanic elements ger (spear) and wald (rule), conveying warrior authority.
Gerald was very popular in the 1930s–1950s but has declined since. It carries a vintage, distinguished quality today.
Gerald Thomas, Gerald Lee, Gerald Wayne, and Gerald Francis all have a classic, solid ring.
Gerald comes from the Old Germanic Gerwald, brought to England by the Normans in the 11th century.
Geralds are often seen as dependable, strong-willed, and quietly authoritative — steady leaders who prefer action over words.
The most common nicknames are Jerry, Gerry, and Ger.
Personality of Gerald
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Gerald
Creativity
70%
Elegance
68%
Independence
82%
Intelligence
80%
Strength
85%
Warmth
76%
Famous People Named Gerald
G
Gerald Ford
38th President of the United States, assumed office after Nixon's resignation
G
Gerald Durrell
British naturalist and author of My Family and Other Animals
G
Gerald Wilson
American jazz trumpeter and big band leader
Middle Names for Gerald
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Gerald
Gerald Thomas
Gerald Lee
Gerald Wayne
Gerald Ray
Gerald Alan
Gerald Eugene
Gerald Francis
Gerald Patrick
Gerald Dean
Gerald Dale
Names Similar to Gerald
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Gerald
1066
Normans bring the name Gerwald to England following the Conquest
1134
Saint Gerald of Aurillac is venerated as a noble example of Christian knighthood
1940
Gerald reaches peak popularity in the United States
1974
Gerald Ford becomes US President after Richard Nixon's resignation
Numerology & Symbolism of Gerald
2
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
6
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Scorpio
5
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Steel Blue
💎
Lucky Stone
Garnet
🌸
Lucky Flower
Chrysanthemum
Gerald Around the World
How Gerald is written in different languages and scripts
ג'רלד
Hebrew
جيرالد
Arabic
Джеральд
Russian
ジェラルド
Japanese
杰拉尔德
Chinese
Τζέραλντ
Greek
जेराल्ड
Hindi
제럴드
Korean
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