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Gender: F Meaning of Gertrude: "strength of a spear" Origin of Gertrude: German

Popularity: this week.

Could cute nickname Gertie, remembered as cute five-year-old Drew Barrymore in E.T., revive the long shunned Gertrude?

It's tempting to dismiss Gertrude as a name on its way through the door marked Out Forever, except that its long and honorable pedigree--as a goddess in Norse mythology, as the gentle and mystical Saint Gertrude the Great, and another St. Gertrude who is the patron of cats, and its use by Shakespeare for Hamlet's (not exactly exemplary) mother--earns it a place on the permanent roster. It has also been borne by such varied figures as writer Gertrude Stein, swimming champ Gertrude Ederle, British stage star Gertrude Lawrence, and arts patron Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.

The pinnacle of fashion a century ago, Gertrude reached as high as Number 23 in 1900, but dropped off the list completely in 1966.

Famous People Named Gertrude

Gertrude Stein, American writer
Gertrude Atherton, American writer
Gertrude Jekyll, English garden designer
Gertrude Bambrick, American actress of the silent era
Gertrude Berg, American actress
Gertrude Belle Elion, American biochemist
Gertrude Lawrence, English actress and singer
Gertrude Bell, English writer and spy
Gertrude of Hohenburg, German Queen
Gertrude of Merania, queen consort of Hungary
Gertrude Ederle, American Olympic swimmer
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, American sculptor and art patron

Pop Culture References for the Name Gertrude

Gertrude, Hamlet's mother in Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
Gertrude "Gigi" Hollingsworth, character in TV's "Wizards of Waverly Place"
"Gertrude McFuzz," Dr. Seuss book
Gertrude Yorkes, Marvel comics character

Gehtruda, Gehtrudis, Gerda, Gert, Gerta, Gerte, Gertey, Gerti, Gertie, Gertina, Gertrudis, Gerty, Traudl, Trude, Trudi, Trudie, Trudy

Gertrude's International Variations

Geerta (Dutch) Gertraud, Gertrud, Gertruda (German)