Geraldine
Girl name · #2439 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Geraldine? In official American birth records, Geraldine has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Geraldine ranks #2439 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 73 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1643, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 24,658 girls born in 2025 was named Geraldine.
Babies named Geraldine per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Geraldine first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1930, when 5,448 girls were named Geraldine — good for #43 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Geraldine against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Geraldine in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Geraldine is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Geraldine will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Geraldine is most common
State-level data for Geraldine is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Geraldine
Statistically, parents drawn to Geraldine tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lorraine, Pauline, Celestine, Francine, and Loraine.
LorrainePaulineCelestineFrancineLoraineRosemarieCorrineChristine
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Geraldine | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 73 | #2438 |
| 2024 | 98 | #1997 |
| 2023 | 131 | #1595 |
| 2022 | 131 | #1612 |
| 2021 | 132 | #1584 |
| 2020 | 98 | #1948 |
| 2019 | 147 | #1490 |
| 2018 | 121 | #1710 |
| 2017 | 132 | #1636 |
| 2016 | 140 | #1580 |
| 2015 | 130 | #1643 |
| 2014 | 158 | #1436 |
| 2013 | 163 | #1403 |
| 2012 | 254 | #994 |
| 2011 | 265 | #965 |
| 2010 | 209 | #1160 |
| 2009 | 202 | #1231 |
| 2008 | 165 | #1431 |
| 2007 | 137 | #1621 |
| 2006 | 144 | #1522 |
| 2005 | 165 | #1328 |
| 2004 | 186 | #1201 |
| 2003 | 127 | #1526 |
| 2002 | 92 | #1915 |
| 2001 | 104 | #1726 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Geraldine?
In official American birth records, the name Geraldine first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Geraldine a popular girl name?
Geraldine ranked #2439 among girls in 2025 with 73 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1643.
When was the name Geraldine most popular?
Geraldine peaked in 1930, when 5,448 American girls received the name (ranked #43 that year). Since 1930 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Geraldine?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 24,658 newborn American girls was named Geraldine. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.