Gearold
A contracted form of the masculine name Gerald, derived from the Germanic elements "gair" (spear) and "waldan" (to rule).
Name Census estimates that about 85 living Americans carry the first name Gearold. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gearold today is around 76 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gearold births was 1952 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gearold. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Gearold is about 76 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gearolds were born before 1960.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Gearold. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
85
~ 1 in 4,032,404 Americans
Peak year
1952
12 babies that year
Average age
76
years old
1966 SSA rank
#4,154
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Gearold: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gearold from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 58 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gearold by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gearold during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gearold
The name Gearold has its roots in the ancient Germanic languages, originating from a combination of the words "ger" meaning "spear" and "wald" meaning "ruler" or "leader." This suggests that the name was likely given to individuals who possessed qualities of strength, valor, and authority. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 8th century, during the height of the Carolingian dynasty in Europe.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing this name was Gearold of Burgundy, a powerful nobleman who lived in the 9th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Charles the Bald and played a crucial role in the political and military affairs of the Frankish kingdom. Another notable individual was Gearold the Scribe, a renowned scholar and calligrapher who lived in the 11th century. His intricate and beautiful manuscripts were highly sought after by monasteries and noble families across Europe.
In the 12th century, Gearold of Auxerre gained recognition as a renowned theologian and philosopher. His writings on the nature of the soul and the concept of free will were widely studied and debated in academic circles of the time. A century later, Gearold the Bold, a fearless knight from Normandy, earned a reputation for his bravery and skill on the battlefield during the Crusades.
The name Gearold also found its way into literature and folklore. In the epic poem "The Song of Roland," a character named Gearold is depicted as a loyal and courageous warrior who fought alongside the famous knight Roland against the Saracen forces. This literary reference further solidified the association of the name with chivalry and heroism.
Throughout the centuries, the name Gearold has been borne by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, warriors, and nobles. While the spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name's rich history and connotations of strength, leadership, and valor continue to resonate.
People
Gearold + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gearold as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gearold: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gearold?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 85 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gearold going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,032,404 US residents.
Is Gearold a common name?
We classify Gearold as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 186 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gearold most popular?
The single biggest year for Gearold was 1952, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gearold is about 76 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Gearold in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gearold a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gearold in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Gearold still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gearold in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Gearold can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Gearold?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.