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Origin and history of Gerard

Gerard

masc. proper name, from Old French Gerart (Modern French Gérard), of Germanic origin; compare Old High German Gerhard, literally "strong with the spear," from ger "spear" (see gar) + hart "hard" (from PIE root *kar- "hard").

Entries linking to Gerard

pike-like fish, 1765, American English, shortening of garfish (mid-15c.), from fish (n.) + Middle English gare, gore "a spear," from Old English gar "spear," from Proto-Germanic *gaisa- "spear" (source also of Old Norse geirr "spear; point of an anvil," Old Saxon, Old High German ger, German Ger "spear"), from PIE *ghaiso- "a stick, spear" (see goad (n.)). The fish so called for its long sharp snout. Compare Edgar, garlic.

surname, from mid-13c., from Gerald or Gerard, with loss of consonant.

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adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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