Girald

Girald is a historically attested given name in Europe, usually considered a variant of Gerald. In medieval Latin documents and romance-language texts, the form appears as Girald and as the Latinized Giraldus. The name likely derives from Germanic elements meaning spear and rule.

Geographic distribution: The spelling is found in charters and genealogies from regions influenced by Frankish and Iberian cultures, including Occitania and the Iberian kingdoms. In English and some other languages, Gerald was the dominant form, with Girald appearing mainly in Latinized or archival contexts.

Modern usage: Today, Girald is rare as a given name and is more commonly encountered in historical records or as a literary or fictional device to evoke medieval settings. Surnames and place-names sometimes preserve the form through heritage.

Variant forms: Gerald, Giraldo, Giral, Gerold, and related forms. See also related names that share Germanic roots or medieval usage.