Gerolamo is the Italian form of Jerome, ultimately derived from the Greek name Hieronymos (Ἱερώνυμος), which means "sacred name" — from ἱερός (hierós, "sacred") and ὄνυμα (ónyma, "name"). The name is particularly associated with Saint Jerome (c. 347–420 AD), the scholar who produced the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible and who is venerated as a Doctor of the Church. His prominence led to widespread use of the name across Europe during the Middle Ages, with Italy and France being early adopters. Notable Bearers Among the most influential bearers of this name in Italy was Gerolamo Cardano (1501–1576), a Renaissance polymath who made seminal contributions to mathematics (probability, algebra), medicine, and astronomy, and who was also a noted astrologer and gambler. Another saint bearing the name is Gerolamo Emiliani (1486–1537), founder of the Somaschi Fathers and patron saint of orphans. In the arts, Gerolamo Giovenone (1486–1555) was a painter of the early Renaissance active mainly in Milan. The name also appears in the ecclesiastical sphere: Gerolamo Marquese d'Andrea (1812–1868) served as an Italian Cardinal, and Gerolamo Sersale (1587–1654) was a Jesuit astronomer who contributed to selenography. In architecture, Gerolamo Theodoli (1677–1766) designed the Teatro Argentina in Rome. The name also has a darker note: Gerolamo Olgiati (1453–1477) was a government official in Milan and an assassin of the Duke of Milan. In sports, Gerolamo Quaglia (born 1902) was an Italian wrestler who won an Olympic medal. Variants and Distribution The variant Girolamo is also common in Italian. Gerolamo is used exclusively in Italy, while its cognates include Ancient Greek Hieronymos, German Hieronymus, and Croatian Jeronim (along with diminutives Jere and Jerko), and Czech Jeroným. Meaning: Sacred name Origin: Italian (derived from Greek Hieronymos) Type: Given name (masculine) Usage region: Italy