Girtrude
A girl's name of Germanic origin with 216 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
At 8 letters and two syllables, Girtrude is a longer name that carries presence on a page and formality in full, while likely inviting a natural nickname in daily life. It has been used as a girl's name in the U.S. since 1892, with 216 total recorded births.
Girtrude is not in the current top 1,000, which means your child is unlikely to share the name with a classmate — a plus for parents who value distinctiveness.
Girtrude is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Girtrude is a girl's baby name of Germanic origin, a spelling variant of Gertrude, composed of the Old High German elements ger (spear) and þrūþ (strength), meaning 'spear of strength.' Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century mystic venerated in the Catholic and Lutheran traditions.
Gertrude was one of America's most popular names in the late 19th and early 20th centuries before sharply declining. Girtrude represents an older phonetic spelling from an era before name standardization, carrying the weight of the original's long history.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Girtrude's final sounds are open, approachable — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Girtrude follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Girtrude's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Girtrude has 25+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1892.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 17 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 80 | — |
| 1910s | 86 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 22 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 11 | — |
The Story of Girtrude
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1919, Girtrude is a name steeped in history. Girls named Girtrude are most likely born between 1909 and 1929.
How rare is Girtrude?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Girtrude is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1892, peaked in the 1910s with 86 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Girtrude by the numbers
- Would fill 5 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(25 years, 1892–1934)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 7 | #3588 |
| 1933 | 5 | #4472 |
| 1932 | 5 | #4671 |
| 1928 | 13 | #2545 |
| 1926 | 5 | #5159 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3821 |
| 1924 | 8 | #3796 |
| 1923 | 7 | #4131 |
| 1922 | 16 | #2325 |
| 1921 | 11 | #3018 |
| 1920 | 12 | #2798 |
| 1919 | 16 | #2184 |
| 1918 | 7 | #4033 |
| 1917 | 7 | #3874 |
| 1916 | 14 | #2306 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3246 |
| 1914 | 11 | #2180 |
| 1912 | 8 | #2230 |
| 1911 | 8 | #1853 |
| 1910 | 7 | #2013 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Girtrude a boy's or girl's name?
When was Girtrude most popular?
How popular is the name Girtrude?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1892–1934