Geraldine is a name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German elements "ger" meaning "spear" and "wald" meaning "rule". The name was first used as a male name in medieval England, but it later evolved into a female name in the 19th century.
The name Geraldine has been popularized by several notable figures throughout history. One of the most famous bearers of this name is Geraldine Fitzgerald, an Irish actress who won an Academy Award for her role in the film "Rebecca". Another well-known Geraldine is Geraldine Chaplin, a British-American actress and daughter of Charlie Chaplin.
The name Geraldine has also been used as a literary character several times. In Sir Walter Scott's poem "Marmion", Geraldine is the beautiful witch who seduces and then betrays the hero, Marmion. The name was later used in several other works of literature, such as the novel "Geraldine's Cat" by Huddleston Norman.
Today, Geraldine remains a relatively uncommon but classic name choice for girls. It has a strong, powerful sound to it, thanks to its Germanic roots, and is often associated with intelligence, creativity, and determination due to its historical bearers. Despite its masculine origins, the name Geraldine has become firmly established as a female name and continues to be chosen by parents looking for a unique and distinctive name for their daughters.
In the United States, the name Geraldine has seen a consistent but modest popularity over the years. Looking at the statistics from the early 20th century, we find that there were 5 babies named Geraldine each year in both 1919 and 1929. This indicates that during these two decades, Geraldine was not a highly popular name, with only 10 babies in total being given this name over the span of ten years.