The name Gerard is derived from the Old German elements 'ger' meaning 'spear' and 'hart' meaning 'hard, firm, brave, hardy'. It is a masculine forename of Proto-Germanic origin, with variations existing in many Germanic and Romance languages. The name is dithematic, combining two meaningful constituents: 'gari > ger-' (spear) and '-hard' (hard/strong/brave). It was introduced to Britain by the Normans and was initially more common than the similar name Gerald, with which it was often confused.