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Gehrig
How to Pronounce Gehrig
Pronounced GAIR-ig /ΛΙ‘Ιr.ΙͺΙ‘/Medium
Meaning: Gehrig is a German surname adopted as a given name, most often in tribute to the baseball great Lou Gehrig; as a surname it derives from a short form of Germanic names in Ger-, 'spear'. Its use as a first name is a modern American namesake honor rather than a traditional given name.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Gehrig is a German family name β from a short form of the old Ger-, 'spear', names β that American parents began giving as a first name in tribute to Lou Gehrig, the New York Yankees first baseman. It is a namesake honor more than a traditional given name.
Its appearance in the record is tied to baseball memory and to awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, long known as Lou Gehrig's disease; a rare, pointed surname-name, it reads as a heartfelt homage rather than a broad fashion.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- β
Lou Gehrig (1903β1941)American baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees, the 'Iron Horse'.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gehrig mean?
Gehrig is a German surname used as a first name, most often to honor baseball great Lou Gehrig.
How do you pronounce Gehrig?
It's said GAIR-ig /ΛΙ‘Ιr.ΙͺΙ‘/ β two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Gehrig a boy or girl name?
Gehrig is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Gehrig?
Gehrig has always been very rare in the U.S., a modern surname-name honoring Lou Gehrig.