Find out how popular the first name Girard has been for the last 30 years (from 1974 to 2003) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Girard by gender

Based on the last 30 years of data, Girard is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2003, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Girard.

The history of the first name Girard

The name Girard originates from the Germanic languages and can be traced back to the 8th century. It is derived from the Old German words "ger" meaning spear and "hard" meaning brave or hardy, thus describing a valiant warrior or spearman. The name was initially popular in areas of modern-day France, Germany, and the Low Countries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Girard can be found in the Carolingian genealogies, where a Count Girard is mentioned as a loyal supporter of Charlemagne in the late 8th century. The name also appears in various medieval charters and records from monastic scribes across Europe.

In the 11th century, a French nobleman named Girard de Roussillon was celebrated in an epic chanson de geste (song of heroic deeds) for his service to the Carolingian emperor Charles the Bald. This literary work helped popularize the name in medieval France.

The name Girard gained further prominence in the 12th century with the rise of the influential Cistercian monk St. Girard of Brogne (1060-1137), who founded several monasteries in modern-day Belgium and was later canonized by the Catholic Church.

Among other notable historical figures bearing the name Girard, we find Girard de Vienne (c. 1180-1227), a French troubadour and crusader who participated in the Albigensian Crusade; Girard Desargues (1591-1661), a French mathematician and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of projective geometry; and Girard Tengaud (1615-1689), a French priest and diplomat who served as the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under King Louis XIV.

Another famous bearer of the name was Girard de Mielet (c. 1328-1406), a French knight and military commander who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. In the 16th century, we find Girard Mercator (1512-1594), the Flemish cartographer and geographer celebrated for his pioneering world map and the Mercator projection technique.

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 Girard was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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