Gerline
A feminine name of French origin meaning "spear bearer".
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the first name Gerline. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Gerline today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gerline births was 1941 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gerline. 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 Gerline is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gerlines were born before 1958.
People living today
139
~ 1 in 2,465,859 Americans
Peak year
1941
18 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1982 SSA rank
#11,049
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Gerline: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gerline from the 1910s through to the 1980s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 125 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
Gerline 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 Gerline during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gerlines live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Gerline, while North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 6 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gerline
The given name Gerline has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically from the Old German root words "ger" meaning spear and "lind" meaning tender or soft. The name can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 5th to 8th centuries AD, when it was commonly used among various Germanic tribes in central and western Europe.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name Gerline was a Frankish noblewoman who lived in the 7th century. She was the daughter of Pepin of Landen, a prominent Frankish statesman and Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian dynasty. Gerline's life and deeds are recorded in the historical chronicles of the time, reflecting the significance of her name in the aristocratic circles of the Frankish Kingdom.
In the later Middle Ages, the name Gerline gained popularity among the nobility and upper classes of various Germanic regions, including modern-day Germany, the Netherlands, and parts of France. It was often associated with qualities such as strength, gentleness, and nobility, reflecting the meaning of its linguistic roots.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Gerline was Gerline von Westfalen, a 12th-century German noblewoman and abbess of the Benedictine convent in Essen. She is remembered for her influential role in the religious and cultural life of the region during her time.
Another prominent individual with the name Gerline was Gerline von Sachsen, a 13th-century German noblewoman and the wife of Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. She played a significant role in the political and social affairs of the Brunswick-Lüneburg principality during her lifetime.
In the 16th century, the name Gerline was also borne by Gerline von Hessen, a German noblewoman and the wife of Philip I, Count of Nassau-Weilburg. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her influential role in the cultural life of the Nassau region.
Another notable bearer of the name was Gerline von Waldeck, a 17th-century German countess and the wife of Georg Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck. She was a prominent figure in the court life and cultural activities of the Waldeck principality during her time.
While the name Gerline has its roots in the Germanic linguistic and cultural traditions, it has been used across various regions and time periods, reflecting the diverse historical connections and influences that have shaped the evolution of given names throughout the centuries.
People
Gerline + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gerline 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
Gerline: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gerline?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 139 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gerline 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 2,465,859 US residents.
Is Gerline a common name?
We classify Gerline as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 462 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gerline most popular?
The single biggest year for Gerline was 1941, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gerline is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gerline a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gerline in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.