Find out how popular the first name Gerardo has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Gerardo by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Gerardo is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Gerardo being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 486 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Gerardo.

The history of the first name Gerardo

The name Gerardo originates from the Germanic languages and is derived from the word "ger" meaning "spear" and "hard" meaning "brave" or "hardy". It was initially a compound name used by various Germanic tribes during the early medieval period, such as the Franks and the Visigoths.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the 8th century. This text refers to a Frankish nobleman named Gerardus, who served as a courtier under Charlemagne, the King of the Franks and later Holy Roman Emperor.

In the 11th century, the name gained popularity across Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain, where it was spelled as "Gerardo". During this period, the name was often associated with religious figures and saints, such as Saint Gerardo Maiella, an Italian Redemptorist who lived from 1726 to 1755 and was known for his devotion to the poor and sick.

One of the most notable historical figures with the name Gerardo was Gerardo de Cremona, an Italian translator and scholar who lived from around 1114 to 1187. He was renowned for his translations of Arabic scientific texts into Latin, which helped to spread knowledge from the Islamic world to Europe during the Renaissance.

Another famous bearer of the name was Gerardo Mercator, a Flemish cartographer and geographer who lived from 1512 to 1594. He is best known for creating the Mercator projection, a cylindrical map projection that revolutionized navigation and mapmaking.

In the 16th century, the name Gerardo was also associated with the Spanish explorer Gerardo de Rivadeneir, who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in 1519. He played a crucial role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and later served as a colonial administrator in New Spain.

Other notable individuals with the name Gerardo include Gerardo Naranjo, a Mexican artist and sculptor born in 1932, known for his abstract and modernist works, and Gerardo Núñez, a renowned Spanish flamenco guitarist born in 1963, who has won numerous awards for his contributions to the genre.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Gerardo was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gerardo, please contact us.

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