Jearold
A masculine name combining the roots "Jear" and "old", of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 20 living Americans carry the first name Jearold. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jearold today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jearold births was 1942 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jearold. 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 Jearold is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Jearolds were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Jearold. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
20
~ 1 in 17,137,717 Americans
Peak year
1942
6 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1972 SSA rank
#5,321
Tracked since 1934
Popularity
Jearold: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jearold from the 1930s through to the 1970s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 27 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
Jearold 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 Jearold during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jearold
The name Jearold has its roots in the Germanic languages, originating from a combination of the Old English words "ger" meaning spear and "wald" meaning ruler or power. This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon warriors or leaders who wielded authority and strength.
In its earliest forms, the name was spelled variations such as Gearwald, Gerewald, or Gerwald. It is believed to have been in use as early as the 7th century AD among Anglo-Saxon tribes in what is now England and parts of northern Europe.
While no specific historical references to individuals named Jearold have been found in ancient texts or religious scriptures, the name's components hold significance in Germanic mythology and folklore. The spear was a revered weapon associated with gods like Odin, while the concept of rulership and power was deeply ingrained in the warrior culture of the time.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Jearold of Mercia, a nobleman and military leader who lived in the 8th century AD. He played a pivotal role in defending the Kingdom of Mercia against Viking invasions and is mentioned in several historical chronicles from the period.
Another notable figure was Jearold the Scribe, a monk who lived in the 10th century AD and is credited with preserving numerous ancient manuscripts through his meticulous copying work at a monastery in present-day Germany.
In the 12th century, Jearold de Bois was a prominent French crusader who participated in the Third Crusade and is said to have fought alongside Richard the Lionheart in the siege of Acre.
During the Renaissance, Jearold Mercator (1512-1594) was a renowned Flemish cartographer and geographer whose revolutionary map projections and atlases significantly advanced the field of cartography.
Lastly, Jearold Naismith (1861-1939) was a Canadian-American physical educator and sports enthusiast who is widely credited with inventing the game of basketball in 1891.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have borne the name Jearold throughout history, reflecting its ancient origins and enduring presence across various cultures and eras.
People
Jearold + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jearold as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jearold: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jearold?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 20 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jearold 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 17,137,717 US residents.
Is Jearold a common name?
We classify Jearold as "Very Rare". It ranks above 39.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 37 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jearold most popular?
The single biggest year for Jearold was 1942, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jearold is about 74 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 Jearold in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jearold a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jearold 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 Jearold still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jearold 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 Jearold 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 have Jearold as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Jearold, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.