Girard Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: zhee-RARD /ʒiˈʁaʁ/
Origin: French; Germanic
Meaning: French: brave spear; Germanic: strong with a spear
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Girard has its roots in the Germanic elements "gīsal," meaning "pledge" or "hostage," and "hard," meaning "brave" or "strong." This name evolved through various linguistic stages, beginning with Old High German as "Gīsalhard," which later transformed into the Old French form "Girard." The transition into English occurred during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French names were adopted into the English lexicon, leading to the anglicized version of Girard. Historically, the name Girard has been borne by notable figures, particularly in medieval France.
One significant milestone is the veneration of Saint Girard, a 10th-century hermit and founder of the Abbey of Saint-Girard in the Auvergne region, whose life and deeds contributed to the name's prominence in Christian contexts. Additionally, the name appears in various historical records and documents throughout the Middle Ages, often associated with nobility and landowners, reflecting the feudal structure of society at the time.
Culturally, Girard carries connotations of strength and loyalty, attributes that were highly valued in medieval society. The name has been associated with various legends and folklore, often depicting characters who embody these traits.
The diminutive form "Giraud" has also been used in French-speaking regions, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry. Overall, Girard's historical significance and its associations with bravery and fidelity have contributed to its enduring presence in European history.
Famous people named Girard
In this section, you will find notable people named Girard. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Girard who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Girard who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Girard Perregaux is a Swiss watchmaker best known for luxury timepieces and innovative watchmaking techniques.
Girard Desargues is a French mathematician best known for his work in projective geometry and the Desargues' theorem.
Fictional characters named Girard
The following list of fictional characters named Girard is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Girard is a fictional character from the video game series Fire Emblem. He is a prominent figure in the story, known for his strategic mind and leadership skills.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Girard, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Girard. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Girard was first seen in the United States in 1900.
Girard has ranked as high as #2726 nationally, which occurred in 1953, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
In the past 5 years the name Girard has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Girard is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Girard was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Girard.
| Year | Total Births | Boy |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 6 | 6 |
| 2002 | 5 | 5 |
| 2000 | 6 | 6 |
| 1999 | 6 | 6 |
| 1998 | 7 | 7 |
| 1997 | 9 | 9 |
| 1996 | 5 | 5 |
| 1995 | 8 | 8 |
| 1994 | 10 | 10 |
| 1993 | 6 | 6 |
| 1992 | 7 | 7 |
| 1991 | 13 | 13 |
| 1990 | 12 | 12 |
| 1989 | 8 | 8 |
| 1988 | 16 | 16 |
| 1987 | 9 | 9 |
| 1986 | 15 | 15 |
| 1985 | 7 | 7 |
| 1984 | 11 | 11 |
| 1983 | 9 | 9 |
| 1982 | 10 | 10 |
| 1981 | 15 | 15 |
| 1980 | 12 | 12 |
| 1979 | 20 | 20 |
| 1978 | 14 | 14 |
| 1977 | 7 | 7 |
| 1976 | 8 | 8 |
| 1975 | 9 | 9 |
| 1974 | 12 | 12 |
| 1973 | 9 | 9 |
| 1972 | 11 | 11 |
| 1971 | 10 | 10 |
| 1970 | 18 | 18 |
| 1969 | 12 | 12 |
| 1968 | 10 | 10 |
| 1967 | 17 | 17 |
| 1966 | 20 | 20 |
| 1965 | 16 | 16 |
| 1964 | 23 | 23 |
| 1963 | 24 | 24 |
| 1962 | 28 | 28 |
| 1961 | 33 | 33 |
| 1960 | 37 | 37 |
| 1959 | 32 | 32 |
| 1958 | 33 | 33 |
| 1957 | 35 | 35 |
| 1956 | 28 | 28 |
| 1955 | 36 | 36 |
| 1954 | 23 | 23 |
| 1953 | 37 | 37 |
| 1952 | 18 | 18 |
| 1951 | 36 | 36 |
| 1950 | 29 | 29 |
| 1949 | 24 | 24 |
| 1948 | 19 | 19 |
| 1947 | 25 | 25 |
| 1946 | 29 | 29 |
| 1945 | 16 | 16 |
| 1944 | 24 | 24 |
| 1943 | 28 | 28 |
| 1942 | 37 | 37 |
| 1941 | 27 | 27 |
| 1940 | 16 | 16 |
| 1939 | 18 | 18 |
| 1938 | 16 | 16 |
| 1937 | 30 | 30 |
| 1936 | 17 | 17 |
| 1935 | 17 | 17 |
| 1934 | 21 | 21 |
| 1933 | 18 | 18 |
| 1932 | 18 | 18 |
| 1931 | 31 | 31 |
| 1930 | 25 | 25 |
| 1929 | 32 | 32 |
| 1928 | 26 | 26 |
| 1927 | 29 | 29 |
| 1926 | 37 | 37 |
| 1925 | 18 | 18 |
| 1924 | 23 | 23 |
| 1923 | 28 | 28 |
| 1922 | 29 | 29 |
| 1921 | 23 | 23 |
| 1920 | 19 | 19 |
| 1919 | 21 | 21 |
| 1918 | 33 | 33 |
| 1917 | 18 | 18 |
| 1916 | 13 | 13 |
| 1915 | 17 | 17 |
| 1914 | 10 | 10 |
| 1913 | 7 | 7 |
| 1912 | 5 | 5 |
| 1911 | 5 | 5 |
| 1905 | 6 | 6 |
| 1900 | 5 | 5 |
Top States for Girard (1970)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| NJ | 6 |