Jerold as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Jerold

What is the meaning of the name Jerold ?

The baby name Jerold is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced JER-əld, /ˈdʒɛrəld/ (also commonly /ˈdʒɛroʊld/).

Jerold is German in Origin.

Jerold is an English given name, a modern respelling of Gerald, from Germanic elements ger “spear” + wald “rule, power,” yielding the sense “spear‑ruler” or “rule by the spear.” The root traveled into English with the Normans, and the wider family includes French Gérald, German Gerold, Portuguese Geraldo, and the older French Géraud.

Jerold itself emerged in American use in the late 19th century, rose during the 1930s–1950s alongside the nickname Jerry, and has since waned. Variants and alternative spellings include Jerald and Jerrold; the traditional form remains Gerald. Common diminutives are Jerry and, less often, Jere. Feminine counterparts are Geraldine and Jeri. Related historical bearers of the root include Saint Gerald of Aurillac and the scholar Gerald of Wales (Giraldus Cambrensis), underscoring the name’s long pedigree.