Meaning & History
Jerold is a masculine given name of English origin, functioning as a variant of Gerald. The name essentially carries the same etymological roots as Gerald, deriving from a Germanic name meaning "power of the spear", composed of the elements ger meaning "spear" and walt meaning "power, authority".
Historical Background
The name Gerald was introduced to Britain by the Normans. While it fell out of use in England during the Middle Ages, it remained popular in Ireland. It saw a revival in the English-speaking world during the 19th century, during which time variant forms like Jerold emerged. The spelling with a 'J' (Jerold, Jerald, etc.) likely reflects English phonetic adaptations or influence from names like Jerome.
Notable Bearers
Notable individuals named Jerold include American businessman Jerold Hoffberger (1919–1999), owner of the Baltimore Orioles; English author Jerold Panas (1928–2018), known for fundraising literature; and Dutch footballer Jerold Promes (born 1984). Others include Jerold Wells (1908–1999), English actor, and Jerold Starr (1941–2012), American writer and public broadcasting reformer. Jerold Ottley served as music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir from 1974 to 1999.
Related Names
Variants of Jerold include Jerald and Jerrold. Diminutives include Gerry and Jerry. The feminine form Geraldine also derives from the same root. In other languages, the name appears as Gerold in Germanic languages, Gerald in both English and German, Gérald in French, and Géraud in Occitan/French.
- Meaning: "Power of the spear"
- Origin: Germanic, via Norman transmission into English
- Type: Given name (variant)
- Usage Regions: Primarily English-speaking countries
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Jerold