Jerald Boy

Popularity: #912 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JER-ald //ˈdʒɛr.əld//

Origin: English; German

Meaning: rules by the spear (German); strong and brave (English)

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jerald is derived from the Old German name Gerald, which is composed of the elements 'ger' meaning 'spear' and 'wald' meaning 'rule' or 'power.' This name evolved through various linguistic stages, transitioning from Old High German to Middle High German as Geralt, before being adapted into Latin as Geraldus. The name made its way into English through Norman influence after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, where it was introduced as Gerald.

Over time, Jerald emerged as a variant form, particularly in English-speaking contexts. Historically, the name Gerald has been borne by notable figures, including several saints and nobles throughout the medieval period.

One prominent example is Saint Gerald of Aurillac, a 9th-century French saint who is venerated in various Christian traditions. His life and deeds contributed to the name's religious significance, particularly in the context of Christian hagiography.

Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts and documents, reflecting its use among the nobility and clergy in medieval England and beyond. Culturally, the name Jerald and its variants have been associated with strength and leadership due to their etymological roots.

The imagery of a spear as a symbol of power resonates with the martial connotations of the name. This connection to nobility and valor has helped maintain its presence in various forms throughout history.

The diminutive form Gerald has also been widely used, further embedding the name within cultural traditions. Overall, Jerald reflects a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and historical significance, rooted in themes of power and nobility.

Famous people named Jerald

In this section, you will find notable people named Jerald. 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 Jerald who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jerald 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.

Jerald McCoy is a former professional American football player best known for his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, being a six-time Pro Bowl selection, and his defensive prowess.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jerald, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GeraldJaredJesseJaxonJettJasperJulius

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jerald was first seen in the United States in 1909.

Jerald has ranked as high as #493 nationally, which occurred in 1942, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana.

In the past 5 years the name Jerald has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jerald 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 Jerald 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 Jerald.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 26 26 0
2024 28 28 0
2023 24 24 0
2022 24 24 0
2021 28 28 0
2020 35 35 0
2019 33 33 0
2018 37 37 0
2017 39 39 0
2016 35 35 0
2015 34 34 0
2014 38 38 0
2013 36 36 0
2012 51 51 0
2011 38 38 0
2010 44 44 0
2009 55 55 0
2008 59 59 0
2007 71 71 0
2006 51 51 0
2005 61 61 0
2004 56 56 0
2003 79 79 0
2002 63 63 0
2001 99 99 0
2000 74 74 0
1999 77 77 0
1998 90 90 0
1997 90 90 0
1996 107 107 0
1995 97 97 0
1994 126 126 0
1993 118 118 0
1992 153 148 5
1991 147 147 0
1990 158 158 0
1989 164 164 0
1988 189 189 0
1987 129 129 0
1986 142 142 0
1985 145 145 0
1984 123 123 0
1983 168 168 0
1982 180 180 0
1981 202 202 0
1980 193 193 0
1979 195 195 0
1978 180 180 0
1977 219 219 0
1976 238 233 5
1975 208 208 0
1974 238 238 0
1973 279 279 0
1972 294 294 0
1971 320 320 0
1970 430 430 0
1969 421 415 6
1968 346 341 5
1967 374 374 0
1966 425 425 0
1965 402 402 0
1964 440 440 0
1963 422 422 0
1962 462 462 0
1961 450 445 5
1960 411 406 5
1959 418 412 6
1958 482 482 0
1957 498 498 0
1956 501 501 0
1955 541 535 6
1954 503 503 0
1953 541 541 0
1952 560 555 5
1951 542 536 6
1950 515 509 6
1949 584 584 0
1948 548 548 0
1947 614 609 5
1946 564 564 0
1945 533 527 6
1944 554 547 7
1943 623 623 0
1942 654 647 7
1941 559 559 0
1940 502 502 0
1939 461 455 6
1938 420 420 0
1937 411 411 0
1936 399 394 5
1935 294 294 0
1934 288 288 0
1933 263 263 0
1932 262 256 6
1931 246 246 0
1930 191 191 0
1929 179 179 0
1928 144 144 0
1927 123 123 0
1926 124 124 0
1925 109 109 0
1924 84 84 0
1923 78 78 0
1922 113 113 0
1921 78 78 0
1920 59 59 0
1919 58 58 0
1918 59 59 0
1917 61 61 0
1916 54 54 0
1915 34 34 0
1914 30 30 0
1913 22 22 0
1912 19 19 0
1911 10 10 0
1910 9 9 0
1909 5 5 0

Top States for Jerald (2019)

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
OH 5
100%