Gerald is a traditional name of German origin, derived from the Germanic elements 'ger' meaning 'spear' and 'wald' meaning 'rule'. It was brought to England by the Normans after the 1066 invasion and was once popular among the British aristocracy. Gerald is often associated with figures like Gerald of Wales, a 12th-century chronicler known for his travels in Wales and Ireland. Today, Gerald remains a classic name choice, often given as a nod to history or to honor relatives named Gerald.
The name Gerald experienced significant popularity fluctuations from the 1940s to the late 1980s, with peaks in 1941 (10 births) and a consistent average of around five births per year during other notable periods such as 1975 (7 births), 1976 (6 births), and 1986-1988 (6 births each). However, the total number of births over this span was 86, indicating a steady usage of the name Gerald throughout these decades.