Given name & surname
Gervase
“one who is honored; one who serves the spear”
Gervase is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “one who is honored; one who serves the spear.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “one who is honored; one who serves the spear.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is German, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Gervase through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 202
- 197 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1930
- 16 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1960. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 16 in 1930. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 157 as a first name in 2020; 468 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.
Gervase’s family of names
In French usage, Gervase has a feminine form in Gervaise. In English usage, Gervase has a conventional equivalent in the French form Gervais. Gervase has a related form in Gervais.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Gervase has relatives in 18 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
17 related names in 18 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 12
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Гервасійequivalent
- Герва́сійUkrainian
- GirvasiSicilian
- GervazijeSerbo-Croatian
- Герва́сийRussian
- GhervasieRomanian
- GervásioPortuguese
- GervasiOccitan, Catalan
Show 4 moreShow fewer
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Gervase
- Gervase of TilburyEnglish canonist and writer1150–1234
- G. D. SpradlinAmerican actor (1920–2011)
- Gervase of CanterburyEnglish chronicler1141–1210
- Gervase of BazochesPrince of Galilee1100–1108
- Gervase MarkhamEnglish poet and writer1568–1637
- Gervase de PeyerEnglish clarinetist and conductor (1926–2017)
- Gervase ElwesBritish tenor (1866–1921)
- Gervase of Blois12th-century Abbot of Westminster Abbey
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Gervase, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“servant of St BRIDGET” · “of the bright promise”
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