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Gerard

Boy name · 1,226 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Gerard: 1,226 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 81 births in 1974.

With Germanic roots, Gerard comes from the elements *ger* meaning “spear” and *hard* meaning “brave” or “hardy,” giving the name its sense of “brave with the spear.” It arrived in Scotland via the Normans and has remained a steady classic. Perhaps its most famous modern bearer is Scottish actor Gerard Butler, known for his commanding presence in films like *300* and *The Phantom of the Opera*. In literature, the Victorian poet Gerard Manley Hopkins left a profound mark with his innovative sprung rhythm. The name also appears in place names such as Saint-Gérard in Belgium, and it shares its root with the more common Gerald—though Gerard stays