Gertrude was a popular given name in the past, particularly among English-speaking populations in the late Victorian era and early 20th century. It is derived from Germanic origins, where 'ger' means spear, and 'trud' signifies strength. Thus, Gertrude translates to 'strong in war'. This name has been immortalized through literature, most notably by Shakespeare's character, Gertrude, in his tragedy 'Hamlet'. Despite its historical prevalence, Gertrude today is less frequently used as a given name.
The name Gertrude experienced varying popularity over time, with a notable peak between 1907 and 1917, during which there were consistently high numbers of births. However, it appears that by the late 1920s to early 1930s, its usage became quite rare, as indicated by the low birth figures during this period.