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Gerald

Boy name · 541 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Gerald: 541 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 52 births in 1976.

Gerald is a strong, old-fashioned name of Germanic origin, derived from the elements *gēr* ("spear") and *wald* ("rule"), thus meaning "ruler with the spear." It was introduced to Britain by the Normans, where it became popular in the Middle Ages. One of the most famous bearers was Gerald of Wales (c. 1146 – c. 1223), a medieval clergyman and chronicler whose writings vividly depict life in 12th-century Wales and Ireland. Another is Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States. A surprising place connection: the Irish county of County Mayo has a townland called Geraldine, reflecting the love of the name in Irish history—the "Geraldines" were the powerful FitzGerald dynasty who ruled large parts of Ireland. An interesting variant is Gerard, sharing the same first element but with a different second meaning ("spear-brave").