Gesualdo
Of Latin origin meaning "servant of Jesus" or "devout follower".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Gesualdo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gesualdo today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gesualdo births was 1917 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gesualdo. 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 Gesualdo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1917
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1917 SSA rank
#4,213
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Gesualdo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Gesualdo 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 Gesualdo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Geography
Where Gesualdos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Gesualdo
The name Gesualdo has its origins in the Italian language and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is a compound name derived from the Latin words "Iesu," meaning "Jesus," and "aldus," meaning "old" or "venerable." The name essentially translates to "Venerable Jesus" or "Old Jesus."
Gesualdo gained popularity in Italy during the Renaissance era, particularly in the southern regions of the country. It was commonly given to children as a way to honor and express devotion to Jesus Christ, reflecting the strong influence of the Catholic faith in the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gesualdo can be found in historical documents from the 16th century. Gesualdo da Venosa (1566-1613), an Italian composer and nobleman, is perhaps the most renowned bearer of this name. His innovative and expressive musical compositions, particularly his madrigals, earned him a prominent place in the history of Renaissance music.
Another notable figure with the name Gesualdo was Gesualdo Bufalino (1920-1996), an Italian writer and novelist. His works, such as "The Diceman" and "The Keeper of Ruins," explored themes of existentialism and the human condition, earning him critical acclaim and literary recognition.
In the 17th century, Gesualdo Moscardo (1617-1681) was a prominent Italian scholar and collector. His vast collection of natural curiosities and antiquities, known as the "Moscardo Museum," was considered one of the most remarkable cabinets of wonders during that era.
The name Gesualdo also found its way into religious circles. Gesualdo Errico (1841-1916) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Andria from 1891 until his death.
Gesualdo Lanchetti (1923-2008) was an Italian painter and sculptor who gained recognition for his abstract and geometric works, which were influenced by the Futurist and Metaphysical art movements of the early 20th century.
While the name Gesualdo has its roots in Italy, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with strong Italian cultural influences or communities.
People
Gesualdo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gesualdo 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
Gesualdo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gesualdo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gesualdo 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 - US residents.
Is Gesualdo a common name?
We classify Gesualdo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Gesualdo most popular?
The single biggest year for Gesualdo was 1917, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gesualdo is about 0 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 Gesualdo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gesualdo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gesualdo 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 Gesualdo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gesualdo 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 Gesualdo 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 named Gesualdo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.