Gerard
From Middle English Gerard, from Old French Gerart, from Frankish *Gaiʀahard, from *gaiʀ (“spear”) + *hard(ī) (“hard, brave”).
Every Gerard since 1886 — 58,932 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gerard
Gerard is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,713 in 2025 with 95 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1886, 58,932 American babies have been named Gerard. Its peak came in 1956, when 1,617 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gerard stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gerard year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 95 | #1,713 |
| 2024 | — | — | 115 | #1,534 |
| 2023 | — | — | 130 | #1,409 |
| 2022 | — | — | 128 | #1,428 |
| 2021 | — | — | 121 | #1,483 |
| 2020 | — | — | 119 | #1,456 |
| 2019 | — | — | 116 | #1,480 |
| 2018 | — | — | 149 | #1,241 |
| 2017 | — | — | 161 | #1,166 |
| 2016 | — | — | 160 | #1,186 |
| 2015 | — | — | 180 | #1,086 |
| 2014 | — | — | 202 | #1,013 |
| 2013 | — | — | 183 | #1,049 |
| 2012 | — | — | 171 | #1,091 |
| 2011 | — | — | 172 | #1,084 |
| 2010 | — | — | 140 | #1,253 |
| 2009 | — | — | 130 | #1,335 |
| 2008 | — | — | 126 | #1,357 |
| 2007 | — | — | 100 | #1,568 |
| 2006 | — | — | 117 | #1,377 |
| 2005 | — | — | 113 | #1,336 |
| 2004 | — | — | 124 | #1,225 |
| 2003 | — | — | 134 | #1,132 |
| 2002 | — | — | 156 | #999 |
| 2001 | — | — | 146 | #1,017 |
| 2000 | — | — | 194 | #824 |
| 1995 | — | — | 213 | #736 |
| 1990 | — | — | 350 | #527 |
| 1985 | — | — | 343 | #468 |
| 1980 | — | — | 342 | #453 |
| 1975 | — | — | 399 | #392 |
| 1970 | — | — | 547 | #346 |
| 1965 | 5 | #6,857 | 827 | #256 |
| 1960 | — | — | 1,397 | #205 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,161 | 1,521 | #179 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,160 | #191 |
| 1945 | — | — | 681 | #210 |
| 1940 | — | — | 553 | #224 |
| 1935 | — | — | 525 | #225 |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,811 | 601 | #215 |
| 1925 | — | — | 554 | #236 |
| 1920 | — | — | 408 | #275 |
| 1915 | — | — | 323 | #272 |
| 1910 | — | — | 49 | #366 |
| 1905 | — | — | 25 | #435 |
| 1900 | — | — | 11 | #806 |
| 1895 | — | — | 14 | #566 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Gerard
- Gerard van Honthorst Painter · 1592–1656
- Gerard David Painter · 1450–1523
- Gerard ter Borch Painter · 1617–1681
- Gerard de Ridefort Politician · 1141–1189
- Gerard Kuiper Astronomer · 1905–1973
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gerard mean?
From Middle English Gerard, from Old French Gerart, from Frankish *Gaiʀahard, from *gaiʀ (“spear”) + *hard(ī) (“hard, brave”).
How popular is the name Gerard in 2025?
Gerard ranked #1,713 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 95 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Gerard?
58,932 babies have been named Gerard in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gerard most popular?
Gerard peaked in 1956, when 1,617 newborns received the name.
Is Gerard a boy or girl name?
Gerard is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gerard rising or falling?
Gerard is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Gerard?
Well-known people named Gerard include Gerard van Honthorst (painter), Gerard David (painter), Gerard ter Borch (painter).