Meaning: Its source is gar wald, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Ruling spear."

Languages: This girl's name is used in German and English.

Nickname For: Geraldine

Compound Forms: Gerilyn

Alternative Spellings: Gerry

Popularity: The name Geri ranked 1049th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: Other possible interpretations include ''expert spearman,'' ''spear of the ruler,'' and the equivalent of the contemporary expression ''straight shooter.''