Boy · #1,486 in 2026

Gerard

Name: Popularity of the name Gerard in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Gerard, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Gerard is a masculine forename of Proto-Germanic origin, variations of which exist in many Germanic and Romance languages. Like many other early Germanic names, it is dithematic, consisting of two meaningful constituents put together. In this case, those constituents are gari > ger- and -hard.

Current Rank

#1,486

Peak Rank

#177 (1956)

Total Babies

59K

5-Yr Trend

-8%

1913

First Year

1987

Last Year

1952

Peak Year

#3796

Peak Rank

112

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Gerard

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Gerard

Gerard first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1886, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1956, when 1,617 Gerards were born — ranking #181 that year. As of 2026, Gerard ranks #1,486 for baby boys with 121 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 59K Gerards have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Gerard

Phonetically similar names — useful when Gerard is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Girard
Jarrard
Jarred
Gerardo
Jard
Gerardi
Giard
Jrod
Gerar
Gerade
Jord
Jorde

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Gerard

What does the name Gerard mean?

How popular is Gerard in 2026?

In 2026, Gerard ranks #1,486 among boys' names in the U.S., with 121 babies given the name that year.

When was Gerard most popular?

Gerard reached its peak popularity in 1956, ranking #177 that year with 1,617 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Gerard most popular?

Gerard has historically been most popular in Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Gerard.

Is Gerard a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Gerard is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Gerard?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Gerard include Monroe, Booker, Ken. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Gerard

Gerard is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 59K births in the dataset. Gerard's peak popularity came in 1956 when it ranked #177. Use the chart and map above to compare Gerard's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.