Gerver
A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly Germanic or Slavic.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Gerver. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gerver today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gerver births was 2016 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gerver. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Gerver. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2016
5 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#12,856
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Gerver: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Gerver 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 Gerver during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Gerver
The given name Gerver has its origins in the Old English language, with roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period of the 5th to 11th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "gār" meaning "spear" and "faran" meaning "to travel" or "to go." The name was likely originally given to individuals who were skilled with spears or perhaps traveled with spears, reflecting the warrior culture of that era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gerver can be found in the Domesday Book, a great survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Gerver in the county of Berkshire, England. This suggests that the name was already in use among the Anglo-Saxon population before the Norman Conquest of 1066.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Gerver appears sporadically in various historical records and chronicles. One notable bearer of the name was Gerver de Torniaco, a French knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) under King Richard I of England. Gerver de Torniaco's exploits are mentioned in several contemporary accounts of the crusade.
In the 14th century, a Gerver Godsone is recorded as a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Norwich, England. Records from the time indicate that Gerver Godsone was a wealthy and influential figure in the local community.
The name Gerver also has a connection to the world of literature. In the 16th century, a poet and playwright named Gerver Tudeau gained recognition in France for his satirical works and biting social commentary. Tudeau's birth and death years are uncertain, but he is believed to have lived during the latter half of the 1500s.
Another notable bearer of the name was Gerver Greville, an English soldier and author who served in the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1784, Greville wrote several memoirs and accounts of his military experiences, providing valuable insights into the campaigns of the early 19th century. He died in 1853.
While relatively uncommon, the name Gerver has persisted throughout history, carried by individuals from various walks of life, including warriors, merchants, writers, and soldiers. Its Old English roots and connection to the Anglo-Saxon culture make it a unique and intriguing name with a rich historical background.
People
Gerver + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gerver 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
Gerver: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gerver?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gerver 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Gerver a common name?
We classify Gerver as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gerver most popular?
The single biggest year for Gerver was 2016, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gerver is about 10 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 Gerver in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gerver a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gerver 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 Gerver still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gerver 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 Gerver 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 Americans are named Gerver?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Gerver at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.