Gerolamo

Gerolamo is an Italian given name, equivalent to Jerome in English. It derives from the Greek Hieronymos, from hieros meaning “holy” and onoma meaning “name,” thus conveying the meaning “holy name.” In Italian usage, the form has appeared since the Middle Ages; in modern Italian, Girolamo is the more common spelling, while Gerolamo remains a recognized variant found in older records and in some family names.

The name has appeared across Italian history in science, medicine, and the arts. Notable bearers include Gerolamo Cardano (1501–1576), an Italian polymath who made significant contributions to mathematics, medicine, and astronomy. He is best known for Cardano’s formula, which provides solutions to cubic equations, and for his broad-ranging writings. Another prominent figure associated with the name is Girolamo Fracastoro (c. 1478–1553), an Italian physician and scholar who advanced early ideas about contagion and described the disease syphilis; his given name is commonly rendered Girolamo, though some sources use Gerolamo, reflecting variant spellings.

The name Gerolamo thus sits within a family of forms related to Jerome, with Girolamo being the modern standard Italian form and Gerolamo appearing in older usage.