Where does “Gerard” come from?

Gerard (Dutch) comes from Old French Gerart, from Frankish Gaiʀahard, from Proto-West Germanic gaiʀ, from Proto-Germanic gaizaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰoysós, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰey- — winter.

Ancestry of “Gerard”, step by step

Gerard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old French Gerart

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old FrenchGerart—
2FrankishGaiʀahard—
3Proto-West Germanicgaiʀspear
4Proto-Germanicgaizazspear, pike, javelin
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰoysósthrowing spear
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰey-winter

via Old Dutch *Gērhard

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutch*Gērhard—
2Proto-West GermanicGaiʀahard—

Words derived from “Gerard”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰoysós →Every word from Proto-Germanic gaizaz →