Total births
448,966
Boys' name · since 1880
Gerald
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 448,966 babies named Gerald, peaking in 1942. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1171
- among boys today
- 448,966
- born since 1880
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
448,966 babies have been named Gerald since 1880, making it today's #1171 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Gerald recorded 448,966 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #1171 nationally today, ahead of 92% of boys, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1171 among boys today
- 448,966 born since 1880
- 1940s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gerald is currently the #1171 boys' name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 448,966 born since 1880, peaking in the 1940s.
- #1171
- among boys today
- 448,966
- born since 1880
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Gerald vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1171
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
1940s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Gerald was born in this single decade.
1942
Single peak year
11,484 babies were named Gerald in 1942 - its busiest year on record.
How Gerald compares
448,966 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Gerald's all-time total is 1,223x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gerald | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 448,966 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 11,484 | 23 | 22,252 |
Gerald's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gerald's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 38% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 62%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1880, with only 11 births recorded -- set against the 1942 peak of 11,484, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gerald at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1942
Current rank
#1,171
Active since
1880
Gerald popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1942)
- 11,484
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Gerald popularity over time - girls
2,385 total births recorded since 1910 (Gerald as girls' name)
Gerald by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Gerald's strongest decade.
103,342 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Gerald births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 223
1880s
223 births
- 1890s 753
1890s
753 births
- 1900s 2,014
1900s
2,014 births
- 1910s 16,522
1910s
16,522 births
- 1920s
1920s
44,520 births
- 1930s
1930s
82,821 births
- 1940s
1940s
103,342 births
- 1950s
1950s
82,626 births
- 1960s
1960s
55,305 births
- 1970s 26,147
1970s
26,147 births
- 1980s 15,507
1980s
15,507 births
- 1990s 9,797
1990s
9,797 births
- 2000s 5,146
2000s
5,146 births
- 2010s 3,031
2010s
3,031 births
- 2020s 1,212
2020s
1,212 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 103,342 births (23% of all-time use).
How Gerald compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Gerald's total volume
Gerald vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gerald by state
Where Gerald concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 39,032 | 8.7% |
| #2 | Michigan | | 35,389 | 7.9% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 32,460 | 7.2% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 28,075 | 6.3% |
| #5 | California | | 25,392 | 5.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 24,040 | 5.4% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 19,363 | 4.3% |
| #8 | Texas | | 17,073 | 3.8% |
New York share of Gerald's total US births 8.7%
Even split
39,032 of 448,966 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Gerald appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gerald? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 448,966 babies named Gerald. Today it holds rank #1171 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1942, with 11,484 births.
When was Gerald most popular? ▼
Gerald was most popular in the 1940s decade with 103,342 total births. The single peak year was 1942.
Where is Gerald most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gerald are New York (39,032 births), Michigan (35,389 births), Pennsylvania (32,460 births).
How long has the name Gerald been used? ▼
Records for Gerald go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Gerald? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gerard, Gerardo, Gerry, German, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Gerald's data
- Gerald's decade-level peak was the 1940s (103,342 total births); usage has since declined to 1,212 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Geralds (39,032 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gerald
Nearby Names Like Gerald
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gerald
Gerard Boy
#1532 58,820 births
Gerardo Boy
#595 55,015 births
Gerry Boy
#8351 14,468 births
German Boy
#1652 10,290 births
Gerson Boy
#1838 4,323 births
Compare Gerald side by side: Gerald vs Gerard Gerald vs Gerardo Gerald vs Gerry
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gerald
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gerald: #1171 Boys' Name - 448,966 Births, Peak 1942." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gerald. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Gerald draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.