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Gerda
How to Pronounce Gerda
Pronounced GAIR-duh /ΛΙ‘Ιr.dΙ/High
Meaning: Gerda comes from Old Norse Gerdr, from gardr, 'enclosure, stronghold', suggesting protection; in Norse myth Gerdr is a giantess wife of the god Freyr, and the name is also widely used across Scandinavia and Germany.Medium
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
Gerda descends from Old Norse Gerdr, built on gardr, 'enclosure' or 'stronghold', carrying a sense of shelter and protection. In myth Gerdr is a giantess whom the god Freyr loves, and the name stayed common across Scandinavia and Germany.
In the United States it arrived largely with Scandinavian and German families and was never widespread, cresting around 1915 at only a few dozen girls a year; it reads as a heritage name and remains far more familiar in Northern Europe than in America.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
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Gerda Taro (1910β1937)German war photographer who documented the Spanish Civil War, considered the first woman photojournalist to die covering a war.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gerda mean?
Gerda is of Old Norse origin and means 'enclosure, protection', from the element gardr.
How do you pronounce Gerda?
It's said GAIR-duh /ΛΙ‘Ιr.dΙ/ β two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Gerda a boy or girl name?
Gerda is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Gerda?
Gerda is rare in the U.S. but a long-established, familiar name across Scandinavia and Germany.