Geraldine

German and French, feminine variation of Gerald

"ruler with the spear"

Geraldine Origin and Meaning

The name Geraldine is a girl's name of German, French origin meaning "ruler with the spear".

Though twin brother Gerald is still in baby name limbo, Geraldine is in line to follow the path of Josephine to imminent revival—even though Gerry is not as spunky a nickname as Josie.

Geraldine was at its hottest from the 1910s through the forties, peaking at Number 38 in 1931. It was invented in the time of Henry VIII by a noble poet who fell in love with a Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald and, taking off from her surname, referred to her as the "Faire Geraldine."

Geraldine has the distinction of being the name of the first woman to be a major party vice presidential candidate, Geraldine Ferraro. Other notable bearers include actors Fitzgerald, Chaplin, and Page, and Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

Trivia notes: Geraldine is the middle name of Ramona Quimby. And Geraldine was the name of the sassy female character played by Flip Wilson on his popular TV variety show.

Geraldine Rank in US Top 1000

# 992 in the US

Geraldine Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 827 on Nameberry

Popularity of the name Geraldine

• 827 Nameberry 2025
• 592 Unique 2023
• 180 Mexico 2021

20 Names Similar to Geraldine

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Geraldine.

• Edwina
• Alberta
• Edna
• Francine
• Hilda
• Eunice
• Phyllis
• Gladys
• Thelma
• Marta
• Frederica
• Bernice
• Irma
• Mildred
• Dora
• Mathilda
• Doris
• Eugénie
• Olga
• Wilma

Famous People Named Geraldine

• Géraldine Margit Virginia Olga Mária Apponyi de Nagy Appony, Queen consort of Zog of Albania
• Geraldine Brooks Australian,American novelist
• Geraldine Leigh Chaplin American,British actress, daughter of Charlie Chaplin
• (Alice) Geraldine Farrar American operatic soprano and actress
• Geraldine Anne Ferrarro first American woman vice presidential candidate
• Geraldine Mary Fitzgerald Irish,American actress
• Geraldine Estelle "Geri" Halliwell aka Ginger Spice singer of English group Spice Girls
• Geraldine Hunt American R&B singer
• Geraldine James English actress
• Geraldine Jane Kemper Dutch actress
• Geraldine McEwan English actress
• Geraldine Sue Page American actress
• Geraldine Pailhas French actress
• Geraldine Brooks American actress
• Geraldine Ann "Geri" Jewell American actress
• (Annie) Geraldine Ulmar American singer and actress
• Audre Geraldine Lorde Caribbean,American writer and activist
• The Fair Geraldine aka Elizabeth FitzGerald Countess of Lincoln
• Geraldine Viswanathan Australian Actress

The name Geraldine in Pop Culture

• Geraldine McQueen fictional singer played by Peter Kay
• Boadicea Geraldine "Gerry" Granger character on TV's "Vicar of Dibley"
• Geraldine beloved of Jack Wilton in "The Unfortunate Traveller: or, the Life of Jack Wilton" (1594) by Thomas Nashe
• Geraldine character in Coleridge's poem "Christabel" (1797,1801)
• Ramona Geraldine Quimby character in novels by Beverly Clearly
• Geraldine character in "Jemima J"
• Geraldine samurai sword on TV's "Lost Girl"
• Geraldine Raymond character in "Anne of Windy Poplars" by L.M. Montgomery
• "Geraldine " song by Glasvegas
• "Geraldine " an opera by Michael William Balfe
• "Geraldine and John " song by Joe Jackson
• Geraldine Waxelplax a character in the Nickelodeon cartoon "The Fairly OddParents"
• Geraldine Grundy character from "Riverdale"
• Helga Geraldine Pataki character on "Hey Arnold"

International Variations of the name Geraldine

• Geralda Spanish
• Geraldina Spanish
• Giralda Italian
• Gerhardine German
• Gearóidin Irish Gaelic