Gerhard: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

–

among boys

Babies in 2025

named Gerhard

How common

–

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1917

62 babies

All-time total

2,429

#2,930 all-time among boys

First recorded

1882

in Social Security records

Gerhard popularity over time

2,429 babies have been named Gerhard since 1882, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	56	6	–	#448
1890s	59	6	+5%	#676
1900s	61	6	+3%	#672
1910s	415	42	+580%	#642
1920s	460	46	+11%	#924
1930s	341	34	-26%	#1,012
1940s	206	21	-40%	#1,098
1950s	246	25	+19%	#1,265
1960s	287	29	+17%	#1,249
1970s	114	11	-60%	#2,084
1980s	59	6	-48%	#3,944
1990s	67	7	+14%	#5,129
2000s	29	3	-57%	#6,220
2010s	24	2	-17%	#9,128
2020s (to 2025)	5	1	-65%	#12,700

The story of Gerhard

Gerhard is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1882, 2,429 American babies have been named Gerhard. Its peak came in 1917, when 62 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gerhard stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Gerhard?

The median living Gerhard is about 62 years old; half are between 51 and 71. An estimated 900 people named Gerhard are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Gerhard year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–
2024	–	–
2023	–	–
2022	–	–
2021	–	–
2020	5	#12,700
2019	–	–
2018	–	–
2017	5	#12,914
2016	8	#9,128
2015	–	–
2014	5	#12,694
2013	–	–
2012	6	#11,260
2011	–	–
2010	–	–
2009	5	#13,117
2008	–	–
2007	–	–
2006	13	#6,220
2005	5	#12,042
2004	–	–
2003	–	–
2002	–	–
2001	6	#9,681
2000	–	–
1995	8	#6,598
1990	10	#5,129
1985	–	–
1980	10	#3,944
1975	6	#5,025
1970	19	#2,084
1965	35	#1,302
1960	29	#1,498
1955	25	#1,552
1950	11	#2,367
1945	13	#1,963
1940	36	#1,098
1935	37	#1,066
1930	46	#1,012
1925	41	#1,095
1920	50	#978
1915	50	#871
1910	7	#1,355
1905	9	#864
1900	8	#995
1895	7	#921
1890	8	#774
1885	17	#448
1880	–	–

Famous people named Gerhard

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Gerhard Schröder Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 b. 1944 · Contemporary
2 Gerhard Richter German visual artist (born 1932) Contemporary
3 Gerhard Berger Austrian racing driver (born 1959) Contemporary
4 Gerhard Barkhorn German general and fighter pilot during World War II (1919–1983) Contemporary
5 Gerhard Klopfer German Nazi Party official (1905–1987) Contemporary
6 Gerhard Ludwig Müller German cardinal of the Catholic Church (born 1947) Contemporary
7 Gerhard von Scharnhorst Hanoverian-born general (1755–1813) 18th century
8 Gerhard Armauer Hansen Norwegian physician (1841–1912) 19th century
9 Gerhard Domagk German bacteriologist (1895–1964) 19th century
10 Gerhard Schmidhuber German general (1894–1945) 19th century
11 Gerhard Gentzen German mathematician (1909–1945) Contemporary
12 Gerhard Schröder German politician (1910–1989) Contemporary
13 Gerhard Herzberg German-Canadian physicist and physical chemist (1904–1999) Contemporary
14 Gerhard Ertl German physicist (born 1936) Contemporary
15 Gerhard Mitter German racing driver (1935–1969) Contemporary
16 Gerhard Hanappi Austrian footballer (1929–1980) Contemporary
17 Gerhard Tremmel German footballer (born 1978) Contemporary
18 Gerhard Stoltenberg German politician (1928-2001) Contemporary
19 Gerhard Marcks German sculptor (1889–1981) 19th century
20 Gerhard von Kügelgen German painter (1772–1820) 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Gerhard, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Gerhard?

The median living Gerhard is about 62 years old. Half of all living Gerhards are between 51 and 71 years old.

How many people named Gerhard are alive today?

An estimated 900 people named Gerhard are alive in the United States, based on 2,429 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Gerhard in 2025?

Gerhard did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Gerhard?

2,429 babies have been named Gerhard in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Gerhard most popular?

Gerhard peaked in 1917, when 62 newborns received the name.

Is Gerhard a boy or girl name?

Gerhard is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Gerhard rising or falling?

Gerhard is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Gerhard?

Well-known people named Gerhard include Gerhard Schröder (politician), Gerhard Richter (painter), Gerhard Berger (racing driver).

Names like Gerhard

Names that sound and feel close to Gerhard: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Gerhard with similar names → More names starting with G →