Holding steady.
Popularity of Jearld since 1920
Babies named Jearld per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 46 |
| 1930s | 118 |
| 1940s | 160 |
| 1950s | 125 |
| 1960s | 70 |
| 1970s | 22 |
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Jearld is an American spelling variant of the classic Gerald, first recorded in 1920. Its usage peaked in 1937, during the 1930s, when it saw its highest number of births. Despite this peak, the name never reached a high enough rank to enter the top 1,000. The spelling likely arose from a desire for a phonetic representation of the pronunciation JER-əld, similar to Jerald. It has remained stable in use since its peak, never experiencing a revival. While its bearers are not famous, the name appears in small numbers each year. Jearld's trajectory reflects a modest, steady presence in U.S. naming records.
Jearld is a variant spelling of the name Gerald, which derives from the Germanic elements ger (spear) and wald (rule), meaning 'spear ruler'. This specific spelling appears in U.S. records from the 1920s onward, most commonly used in the 1930s. It represents a phonetic or respelled form that never gained widespread adoption compared to the standard Gerald or Jerald.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jerry, Jearl
Sibling names for Jearld
Names that share Jearld's style, for a brother or sister.
