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Gertrue

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Gertrue

Pronounced GUR-troo /ˈgɜr.tru/Medium

Meaning: Gertrue is a trimmed spelling of Gertrude, from the Old High German ger, 'spear,' and trud, 'strength,' giving the combined sense 'spear strength.'Medium

In 30 seconds: Gertrue is a trimmed early-1900s spelling of Gertrude, Germanic for 'spear strength.' It rose right as the SSA record begins, peaking in 1919 (said GUR-troo).

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Origin MediumGermanic

MeaningGertrue is a trimmed spelling of Gertrude, from the Old High German ger, 'spear,' and trud, 'strength,' giving the combined sense 'spear strength.'

U.S. rank (1936)#3870 ↗ Rising

1936 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1919

Total births (all-time)≈ 222

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Gertrue is a variant of Gertrude, from the Old High German ger, 'spear,' combined with trud, 'strength.' Gertrude was a well-established name among German and Scandinavian immigrant families, and trimmed spellings like Gertrue appeared in U.S. records in the early 20th century.

It was never as common as the standard Gertrude, given to only about eighteen girls a year at its peak in 1919, and had disappeared from records by 1936. A woman named Gertrue then would have been born over a century ago.

Did you know? Gertrue drops the final -de of Gertrude, likely reflecting how the name was actually spoken by families with German or Northern European roots in the early 1900s.

Overall data confidence 60%

References - Gertrue — Germanic ger + trud 'spear strength'; variant of Gertrude

Variations

GertrudeGertieGertrud

Nicknames

GertieTrudy

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Gertrue…

Gertrude— the standard spelling of the same Germanic name

Trudy— the common short form both names share

Hildegarde— a like Germanic 'strength' compound name from the same era

Girtha— lands in the same popularity range

Gerrie— a fellow Germanic choice

Explore names like Gertrue

By themevintage germanic 1920s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Gertrue mean?

It comes from the Old High German ger, 'spear,' and trud, 'strength,' the same root as Gertrude.

How do you pronounce Gertrue?

It is said GUR-troo /ˈgɜr.tru/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Gertrue a boy or girl name?

Gertrue is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Gertrue?

It was a minor variant next to the far more common Gertrude, seeing its small peak in 1919 and disappearing from records by 1936.