Gertha is a unique and historic female given name of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Old High German elements "gêr" meaning "spear" or "lance" and "thruoz" which means "strength". Therefore, Gertha can be translated to mean "strong spear maiden".
The name Gertha was quite popular in the Middle Ages among Germanic tribes such as the Saxons, Franks, and Goths. It was often used as a shortened form of longer compound names like Gertrud or Gertrude. Despite its historic usage, Gertha is not commonly used today and remains relatively rare.
While there are no famous figures named Gertha in history, the name does have some notable appearances in literature. In the German epic poem "The Nibelungenlied", one of the characters is namedGerhild, which is a variation of Gertha. Additionally, Gertha appears as a minor character in the novel "The Last Temptation of Christ" by Nikos Kazantzakis.
Overall, Gertha is an uncommon and distinctive name with a strong historical background and a unique meaning that signifies power and strength. Despite its rarity today, it remains an interesting choice for parents looking for a unique and meaningful name for their daughter.
Based on the statistics provided, we can see that the name Gertha has had varying levels of popularity over time in the United States.
From 1883 to 1888, there were between 5 and 7 births per year with the name Gertha. The number of births peaked in 1904 with 18 babies named Gertha that year. This trend continued until around 1912 when there was a significant increase in popularity, reaching 35 births.
The peak period for the name Gertha seems to have been between 1912 and 1921, during which time there were over 40 births per year every year except for 1918 where there were only 41 births. After this period, the popularity of the name started to decrease steadily.
By the late 1950s, the number of babies named Gertha had dropped significantly, with fewer than 20 births each year from 1956 onwards. This trend continued into the 1960s and 1970s, with only a handful of births per year recorded for the name Gertha.
In total, there were 1792 babies named Gertha born in the United States between 1883 and 1971. Despite its initial popularity at the turn of the century, the name Gertha has become quite rare in recent decades. However, it's important to note that naming trends can be influenced by many factors and can change over time.