Gertrude
Gertrude comes from the Germanic "ger" (spear) and "þruþ" (strength) — literally "spear of strength." Saint Gertrude of Nivelles (626-659) was a 7th-century Frankish abbess and the patron saint of travelers and gardeners. Saint Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) was a 13th-century German mystic and theologian whose spiritual writings influenced Catholic devotion for centuries. Gertrude was a top-30 American name from 1880 to 1915, peaking at #22 in 1900. Then it declined precipitously. By the 1980s, Gertrude was considered the quintessential comic "old lady name" — mocked alongside Mabel and Myrtle. The name has been outside the US top 1000 since 1965 and shows no sign of returning. But what an etymology! "Spear of strength" is one of the fiercest meanings any name has. And the bearers were formidable: Gertrude Stein (1874-1946), the modernist writer whose Paris salon hosted Picasso and Hemingway; Gertrude Bell (1868-1926), the British diplomat who essentially drew the borders of modern Iraq. The name has substance that its mid-century reputation obscured. Gertrude is a female name of Germanic origin that means "Spear of strength". Old-fashioned, formidable, and a little heavy. The name sounds serious. Gertrudes tend to be sharp. US peaked #22 in 1900. Outside top 1000 since 1965. Well-known people named Gertrude include Gertrude Stein (writer), Gertrude Bell (diplomat), Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, Gertrude (Hamlet's mother). Common variations and related forms of Gertrude include Gertrud (German), Gertie (nickname), Trudy (nickname), Geertje (Dutch).