Gertrude
Gertrude is a feminine given name which is derived from Germanic roots that meant "spear" and "strength". "Trudy", originally a diminutive of "Gertrude", has developed into a name in its own right.
- English
- French
- German
Meaning & Origin of Gertrude
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gertrude is a feminine given name which is derived from Germanic roots that meant "spear" and "strength". "Trudy", originally a diminutive of "Gertrude", has developed into a name in its own right.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- French
- German
The Story of Gertrude
American parents first put Gertrude on the record books as a baby girl name in 1880, with 787 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 6,300 Gertrudes were born — ranking #37 that year. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 28% of all recorded Gertrudes. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,671 among baby girl names with 29 births, holding steady (+2%). In total, more than 177K Gertrudes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Gertrude
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Gertrude. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Gertrude
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gertrude is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gertrude
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About the name Gertrude
Gertrude is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 177K births in the dataset. Gertrude's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #22. Use the chart and map above to compare Gertrude's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1917 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.