Jerald

Once popular, gently fading from the charts.

Boy's name| Also girlsDeclining
#3913 481in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A male given name from the Germanic languages, a nonstandard spelling of Gerald.

Jerald is a boy's and girl's baby name of German origin, a variant spelling of Gerald, from the Old German Gerwald, meaning 'ruler with the spear' — combining ger (spear) and wald (rule, power). Several medieval counts and saints bore the name.

Jerald is the spelling that appeared in American birth records throughout the mid-20th century, a phonetic variant that feels distinctly Mid-American in its straight-speaking simplicity. It carries the same Teutonic warrior heritage as Gerald with a spelling that's slightly more personal and less formal.

Compare Jerald with another name

Popularity Over Time

Jerald was #2119 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #3913, but its charm endures.

0162324485647192019401960198020002024

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Jerald
DecadeBirthsTrend
2020s139
2010s385
2000s668
1990s1,158
1980s1,635
1970s2,598
1960s4,131
1950s5,072
1940s5,710
1930s3,218
1920s1,091
1910s356
1900s5

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(116 years, 19092024)
Year-by-year popularity data for the name Jerald
YearBirthsRank
202428#3913
202324#4394
202224#4362
202128#3861
202035#3235
201933#3450
201837#3130
201739#3037
201635#3258
201534#3325
201438#3009
201336#3090
201251#2466
201138#3025
201044#2759
200955#2367
200859#2247
200771#1988
200651#2428
200561#2048

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Jerald as a Girl's Name

While overwhelmingly a boy's name, Jerald has also been given to 102 girls in the U.S. since 1932.

Unranked
Current rank
102
Total births
1942
Peak year
Compare Jerald as boy vs girl

Frequently Asked

Can Jerald be used for both boys and girls?
Yes, Jerald is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name, it currently ranks #3913. As a girl's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (19092024) · Methodology