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Home › Baby Names Directory › Gerson

Gerson

♂ Boy

Pronounced JEHR-sohn /ˈdʒɛr.soʊn/Medium

Meaning: ExileMedium

In 30 seconds: Gerson is a Catalan boy's name carrying the stark meaning 'exile'. It has long traveled beyond Catalonia, taking root especially in Portuguese-speaking countries.
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Origin MediumCatalan, Portuguese, Judeo-Provençal
MeaningExile
U.S. rank (2025)#1576 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births108 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2008
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,322

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200819092025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Gerson comes from Catalan, where it is recorded with the meaning 'exile'. A Judeo-Provençal spelling, Gerrson, points to its circulation among Jewish communities of the medieval south of France. From there the name spread, and today it is most familiar in Brazil and Portugal.

The name has a clipped, two-syllable weight that lands firmly in Romance languages, where the accented form Gérson is common. Public figures bearing it, such as the Brazilian Gérson, have helped keep it current in football-loving countries.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Gerson is 'exile', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 62%
Behind the Name - Gerson — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

Gerrson (Judeo-Provençal)

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Gérson (1941–present)
    Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Gérson Magrão (1985–present)
    Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Gerson…

Edson— a fellow Portuguese choice
Elton— shares the -on ending
Everson— shares the -on ending
Ederson— a fellow Portuguese choice
Charleston— shares Gerson's Portuguese roots

Explore names like Gerson

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Gerson mean?

Gerson is usually explained as meaning 'exile' and is most often linked with Catalan tradition.

How do you pronounce Gerson?

It's commonly said JEHR-sohn /ˈdʒɛr.soʊn/.

Is Gerson a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Gerson is used as a boy name.

How popular is Gerson?

In 2024, Gerson ranked #1835 in the U.S. for boys, with 88 births recorded.

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