Gerald

Last seen for girls in 1993 at #8,052 · #1,204 for boys in 2025, 168 births
Given to boys 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1939 · 10,057 births
Debut · boys
11 births
In top 100 · boys
63 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
448,966
since 1880

Gerald over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201936peak #19, 1939boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1,204168
2024#1,170178
2023#1,024213
2022#1,066206
2021#1,006217
2020#954230
2019#890245
2018#894242
2017#825271
2016#809284
2015#764312
2014#810281
2013#715329
2012#683346
2011#628373
2010#679348
2009#630396
2008#604415
2007#544472
2006#545465
2005#520472
2004#463552
2003#474529
2002#443556
2001#411609
2000#382680
1999#379686
1998#376671
1997#336773
1996#322822
1995#298889
1994#284954
1993#8,05210#2561,116
1992#9,4918#2451,174
1991#13,1475#2351,261
1990#2121,451
1989#8,0379#2011,469
1988#7,6919#1941,403
1987#6,78810#1901,441
1986#6,61210#1831,455
1985#5,07714#1811,446
1984#5,22213#1761,444
1983#4,28617#1681,549
1982#3,64722#1581,717
1981#4,53216#1541,764
1980#4,32717#1481,819
1979#3,54122#1431,863
1978#3,77719#1371,889
1977#4,42515#1312,046
1976#3,54019#1202,139
1975#3,95016#1082,398
1974#3,31320#1082,417
1973#2,50629#1022,592
1972#3,89415#1022,816
1971#2,34033#833,588
1970#1,95243#674,399
1969#1,95541#654,384
1968#2,24629#624,475
1967#1,88139#594,873
1966#2,14730#604,863
1965#1,85438#645,252
1964#2,10932#605,869
1963#2,06133#606,156
1962#2,07332#656,232
1961#1,72044#626,630
1960#1,88736#626,571
1959#1,72041#616,636
1958#1,90833#586,865
1957#1,86934#517,595
1956#1,87133#497,991
1955#1,87732#488,072
1954#1,64838#448,552
1953#1,67135#428,619
1952#1,74632#399,031
1951#1,74031#369,539
1950#1,45240#349,726
1949#1,80728#339,808
1948#1,52037#309,842
1947#1,35746#2810,750
1946#1,53233#2710,033
1945#1,33236#258,857
1944#1,29338#2410,023
1943#1,07755#2311,367
1942#1,32537#2211,484
1941#1,13343#2010,942
1940#1,09743#2110,236
1939#1,02248#1910,057
1938#1,20037#199,972
1937#98151#209,425
1936#1,13539#199,018
1935#99548#218,458
1934#98149#227,816
1933#1,06243#227,422
1932#1,07044#247,347
1931#93155#266,823
1930#1,18140#306,483
1929#1,04249#335,965
1928#1,21040#415,487
1927#1,02356#385,511
1926#1,07948#415,123
1925#1,25239#454,507
1924#1,92621#494,151
1923#1,67225#543,696
1922#1,78523#583,541
1921#1,76524#603,382
1920#1,88921#643,157
1919#2,06317#702,689
1918#1,64524#722,712
1917#2,69311#692,486
1916#2,49812#762,260
1915#3,1348#782,085
1914#2,8767#811,468
1913#2,8276#841,142
1912#2,9795#86929
1911#88462
1910#2,3985#105289
1909#95301
1908#97270
1907#102239
1906#112191
1905#113189
1904#106201
1903#107182
1902#127151
1901#124133
1900#140157
1899#143108
1898#165100
1897#16693
1896#16895
1895#19376
1894#19775
1893#22955
1892#22162
1891#23945
1890#25644
1889#23348
1888#33030
1887#35222
1886#32128
1885#36423
1884#41619
1883#49713
1882#46915
1881#46014
1880#57111
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Gerald was already there! It came in at #571, and was given to 11 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1883, when fewer than 16 boys a year got the name.

Where Gerald is popular in 1936

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #29 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 71 boysAKMaine: #16 for boys · 91 births · 1 in 68 boysMEVermont: #19 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 79 boysVTNew Hampshire: #25 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 103 boysNHWashington: #16 for boys · 164 births · 1 in 62 boysWAIdaho: #17 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 76 boysIDMontana: #17 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 83 boysMTNorth Dakota: #13 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 67 boysNDMinnesota: #9 for boys · 509 births · 1 in 41 boysMNIllinois: #16 for boys · 628 births · 1 in 83 boysILWisconsin: #10 for boys · 563 births · 1 in 42 boysWIMichigan: #9 for boys · 1,003 births · 1 in 40 boysMINew York: #21 for boys · 808 births · 1 in 104 boysNYMassachusetts: #23 for boys · 258 births · 1 in 108 boysMARhode Island: #26 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 110 boysRIOregon: #15 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 69 boysORNevada: #18 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 54 boysNVWyoming: #20 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 75 boysWYSouth Dakota: #12 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 60 boysSDIowa: #16 for boys · 248 births · 1 in 78 boysIAIndiana: #20 for boys · 222 births · 1 in 108 boysINOhio: #20 for boys · 482 births · 1 in 99 boysOHPennsylvania: #20 for boys · 652 births · 1 in 110 boysPANew Jersey: #35 for boys · 141 births · 1 in 171 boysNJConnecticut: #30 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 143 boysCTCalifornia: #27 for boys · 279 births · 1 in 137 boysCAUtah: #16 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 74 boysUTColorado: #21 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 100 boysCONebraska: #14 for boys · 149 births · 1 in 69 boysNEMissouri: #24 for boys · 224 births · 1 in 117 boysMOKentucky: #38 for boys · 122 births · 1 in 207 boysKYWest Virginia: #36 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 191 boysWVVirginia: #65 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 307 boysVAMaryland: #41 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 182 boysMDDelaware: #26 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 101 boysDEArizona: #43 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 174 boysAZNew Mexico: #80 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 286 boysNMKansas: #13 for boys · 200 births · 1 in 67 boysKSArkansas: #39 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 192 boysARTennessee: #47 for boys · 105 births · 1 in 243 boysTNNorth Carolina: #61 for boys · 111 births · 1 in 307 boysNCSouth Carolina: #66 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 304 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #36 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 180 boysDCOklahoma: #27 for boys · 166 births · 1 in 128 boysOKLouisiana: #27 for boys · 158 births · 1 in 124 boysLAMississippi: #53 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 267 boysMSAlabama: #48 for boys · 108 births · 1 in 249 boysALGeorgia: #65 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 317 boysGAHawaii: #42 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 155 boysHITexas: #49 for boys · 223 births · 1 in 250 boysTXFlorida: #54 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 236 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Michigan#9 · 1 in 40
  2. Minnesota#9 · 1 in 41
  3. Wisconsin#10 · 1 in 42
  4. South Dakota#12 · 1 in 60
  5. Kansas#13 · 1 in 67

Best ever in a state: #7 in Minnesota, 1932.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Michigan#91,0031 in 40
Minnesota#95091 in 41
Wisconsin#105631 in 42
South Dakota#12881 in 60
Kansas#132001 in 67
North Dakota#13841 in 67
Nebraska#141491 in 69
Oregon#15881 in 69
Illinois#166281 in 83
Iowa#162481 in 78
Maine#16911 in 68
Utah#16651 in 74
Washington#161641 in 62
Idaho#17531 in 76
Montana#17491 in 83
Nevada#1871 in 54
Vermont#19311 in 79
Indiana#202221 in 108
Ohio#204821 in 99
Pennsylvania#206521 in 110
Wyoming#20221 in 75
Colorado#21841 in 100
New York#218081 in 104
Massachusetts#232581 in 108
Missouri#242241 in 117
New Hampshire#25301 in 103
Delaware#26141 in 101
Rhode Island#26381 in 110
California#272791 in 137
Louisiana#271581 in 124
Oklahoma#271661 in 128
Alaska#2951 in 71
Connecticut#30681 in 143
New Jersey#351411 in 171
District of Columbia#36251 in 180
West Virginia#36941 in 191
Kentucky#381221 in 207
Arkansas#39881 in 192
Maryland#41621 in 182
Hawaii#42181 in 155
Arizona#43241 in 174
Tennessee#471051 in 243
Alabama#481081 in 249
Texas#492231 in 250
Mississippi#53741 in 267
Florida#54531 in 236
North Carolina#611111 in 307
Georgia#65901 in 317
Virginia#65711 in 307
South Carolina#66611 in 304
New Mexico#80181 in 286

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Gerald
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 34 spots since 2024 (#1,170#1,204)
  • 250 spots since 2020 (#954#1,204)
  • 440 spots since 2015 (#764#1,204)
  • Biggest jump: 111 spots in 1881 (#571#460)
  • Biggest drop: 95 spots in 2014 (#715#810)
Rise & fade · boys
59 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1939 at #19 (10,057 births)
  • Births halved by 1966, 27 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 63 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 63 yrs · run 1911–1971
  • Top 1,000: 141 yrs · run 1880–2020
Share of babies · boys
1 in 110
  • Highest: 1 in 110 boys born in 1939 were named Gerald (0.91%)
  • Latest: 1 in 10,167 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · boys
The 1940s
  • 23.0% of all boys named Gerald (103,342) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s223#233 (1889)#401
1890s753#143 (1899)#198
1900s2,014#95 (1909)#112
1910s16,522#69 (1917)#81
1920s44,520#33 (1929)#48
1930s82,821#19 (1939)#22
1940s103,342#20 (1941)#25
1950s82,626#34 (1950)#46
1960s55,305#59 (1967)#62
1970s26,147#67 (1970)#110
1980s15,507#148 (1980)#175
1990s9,797#212 (1990)#294
2000s5,146#382 (2000)#502
2010s3,031#628 (2011)#770
2020s1,212#954 (2020)#1,071

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Gerald in 1936

girls
#1,135
39 births · 1 in 26,677 girls
boys
#19
9,018 births · 1 in 115 boys

Top girls' names in 1936

  1. #1Mary54,377
  2. #2Shirley35,161
  3. #3Barbara31,682
  4. #4Betty25,868
  5. #5Patricia23,916
  6. #6Dorothy17,666
  7. #7Joan17,072
  8. #8Nancy16,755
  9. #9Margaret14,596
  10. #10Carol14,520
  11. #1,135Gerald39

Top boys' names in 1936

  1. #1Robert58,500
  2. #2James54,694
  3. #3John47,683
  4. #4William39,398
  5. #5Richard33,494
  6. #6Charles29,101
  7. #7Donald28,639
  8. #8Thomas18,342
  9. #9George18,197
  10. #10David17,476
  11. #19Gerald9,018
More about 1936

girls

1,040,390 girls got a published name in 1936; 1 in 26,677 of them was named Gerald, which outranked 76.6% of the 4,856 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gerald
  1. #1,115Simone40
  2. #1,115Vernie40
  3. #1,115Willodean40
  4. #1,135Gerald39
  5. #1,135Angelica39
  6. #1,135Arnetta39
  7. #1,135Cara39
  8. #1,150Almeta38
  9. #1,150Arvilla38
  10. #1,150Carolynn38

Tied with 14 names at #1,135; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1935
Risers
  1. 3,238Shelba#3,742#504
  2. 662Shelby#840#178
  3. 600Wendy#1,418#818
  4. 588Deanna#1,356#768
  5. 546Shari#1,514#968
Fallers
  1. 1,028Norita#713#1,741
  2. 506Vernetta#974#1,480
  3. 461Ozella#984#1,445
  4. 400Shirleyann#896#1,296
  5. 342Idell#925#1,267

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,037,205 boys got a published name in 1936; 1 in 115 of them was named Gerald, which outranked 99.5% of the 4,037 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gerald
  1. #16Frank10,186
  2. #17Raymond9,459
  3. #18Jerry9,271
  4. #19Gerald9,018
  5. #20Jack8,857
  6. #21Harold8,628
  7. #22Billy8,587
Biggest movers since 1935
Risers
  1. 802Errol#1,708#906
  2. 644Sergio#1,584#940
  3. 601Brice#1,494#893
  4. 537Windell#1,390#853
  5. 529Kim#1,390#861
Fallers
  1. 1,082Stafford#980#2,062
  2. 889Darwyn#750#1,639
  3. 461Hunter#956#1,417
  4. 399Orvil#844#1,243
  5. 370Rosendo#956#1,326

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1936