Origin of the name Gerald:

Derived from the Germanic Gerward, a compound name composed from the elements ger (a spear) and wald (rule): hence, "spear ruler, to rule with a spear." The name was introduced by the Normans, and though it was subsequently used by the English, it was never as common as Gerard, a name it was often confused with. The name died out in England by the end of the 13th century but was kept by the Irish. Toward the end of the 19th century, the name Gerald was reintroduced, and it has now become more popular than the enduring Gerard.

From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.Buy the book