Given name & surname · also Germanic
Gerard
“one who is mighty with a spear”
Gerard is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “one who is mighty with a spear.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “one who is mighty with a spear.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Germanic.
How it developed
In English usage, Gerard developed from GERART.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1886. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Gerard through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 58,932
- 58,820 boys · 112 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 1,617 babies
- 2025
- 95
- #1,713 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −16%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 95 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,713 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 16.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,617 in 1956. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 41,777 as a first name in 2020; 8,806 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Gerard’s family of names
In English usage, Gerard has a diminutive in Jerry. Gerard shares a linguistic root with Gerardo. In Swedish usage, Gerard has a conventional equivalent in the German form Gerhard.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Gerard has relatives in 27 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Germanic roots to each of them.
38 related names in 27 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 26
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Kaipet form · English
- Gerardovariant · Italian, Spanish
- Jerrydiminutive · English
- Gerrydiminutive · English
- Gerrardvariant · English, Manx
- Jheridiminutive · English
- Gerriediminutive · Dutch
- Gerodvariant
Show 18 moreShow fewer
- Gerdvariant
- Gerhardvariant · German, Swedish
- Girardvariant
- Geraudvariant
- Garrardvariant
- Jerrardvariant
- Gerridiminutive · English
- Geddiminutive · English
- Gerartvariant · Old French
- Gherardovariant · Italian
- Giraudvariant
- Giraultvariant
- Gearardvariant
- Gertcontraction · Swedish
- Giraltvariant · Catalan
- Grauvariant · Catalan
- Garauvariant · Catalan
- Guerauvariant · Catalan
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 41
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Garrettrelated form
- Gerritcognate
- Gerhardtcognate · German
- Jerardrelated form
- Garradrelated form
- Garedrelated form
- Gerardinefeminine form
- Geroldequivalent
Show 33 moreShow fewer
- KertEstonian
- Garritcognate
- Gaiʀahardequivalent
- Gerardasequivalent
- Gerardiequivalent
- ГерхардRussian
- Garheardcognate · Old English
- Gérardcognate · French
- Geirrcognate · Old Norse
- Gerhardusequivalent
- Géraldequivalent
- Gjertequivalent
- Giraldoequivalent
- Gerardusequivalent
- Garardequivalent
- Geralltequivalent
- Gellértcognate · Hungarian
- DjerådWalloon
- DjurådWalloon
- CilarduSicilian
- Дже́ра́рдRussian
- Ге́рхардRussian, Bulgarian
- Жера́рRussian, Bulgarian
- ĢirtsLatvian
- GearóidIrish
- जेरार्डHindi
- ΓεράρδοςGreek
- Дже́рардBulgarian
- জেরার্ডBengali
- Geertcognate
- Geerdcognate
- Geeraardcognate
- Gerhar(d)tcognate
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Gerard
- Gerard PiquéSpanish association football player (born 1987)
- Gerard 't HooftDutch theoretical physicistborn 1946
- Gerard ButlerScottish actor and film producerborn 1969
- Gerard KuiperNetherlands-born American astronomer (1905–1973)
- Gerard WayAmerican singer (born 1977)
- Gerry AdamsIrish republican politician (born 1948)
- Gerard DeulofeuSpanish association football playerborn 1994
- Gerard MorenoSpanish association football playerborn 1992
- Gerard Manley HopkinsEnglish poet (1844–1889)
Characters named Gerard: Ultra-Humanite (fictional supervillain in DC Comics).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Gerard, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Gary
“one who wields a spear”
>99% boys
Guy
“a warrior; from the wood” · “a lively man”
>99% boys
Gale
“a foreigner” · “one who is cheerful”
85% boys · 15% girls
Ward
“a guardian”
86% boys · 14% girls
Randy
“lustful”
99% boys · 1% girls
Daryl
“one who is greatly loved”
99% boys · 1% girls
Bradford
“from the wide ford”
>99% boys
Carl
“a free man”
>99% boys