Jerome is a masculine given name of Latin origin, derived from the Roman family name "Iерoнимаς" (Ierоnimas), which was itself derived from the Greek name "Ἱερώνυμος" (Hierōnymos). The name is composed of two elements: "ἱέρως" (hieros), meaning "sacred", and "ὄνυμα" (onuma), meaning "name".
The name Jerome was popular among early Christians due to its association with Saint Jerome, a theologian and historian who lived in the 4th century. Saint Jerome is best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin, which became the official language of the Catholic Church.
Throughout history, the name Jerome has been used by numerous notable figures. One of the most famous Jeromes was Jerome Bonaparte (1803-1870), the eldest son of Napoleon Bonaparte and his first wife Joséphine de Beauharnais. Another notable bearer of the name is Jerome David Salinger (1919-2010), the American author known for his novel "The Catcher in the Rye".
In literature, Jerome is often depicted as a scholarly or intellectual figure, reflecting its association with Saint Jerome's learning and wit. For example, in Robert Browning's poem "A Grammarian's Funeral", the character of Jerome is portrayed as a respected scholar.
Today, Jerome remains a popular given name for boys, particularly in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. According to some sources, it has been consistently ranked among the top 1000 names for boys since the early 20th century.
In conclusion, the name Jerome is of Latin origin, derived from the Greek name Hieronymos, which means "sacred name". It gained popularity due to its association with Saint Jerome and has been used by numerous notable figures throughout history.
The statistics provided show the annual number of babies named Jerome born in the United States from 1963 to 2014. The name's popularity seems to have fluctuated over time, with peaks and valleys.
In the early years, there were fewer than 15 births per year, with a low of just five births in both 1963 and 1991. However, the name gained some traction between 1972 and 1980, with an average of around ten births per year during this period.
The decade from 1985 to 1994 saw a slight increase in popularity for Jerome, with yearly birth counts ranging from five to twelve. This trend continued into the late 1990s and early 2000s, with consistent birth counts around five each year.
Interestingly, there was a small spike in popularity in the mid-2000s, with seven births recorded in both 2006 and 2013. However, overall, Jerome has remained relatively uncommon as a baby name in the United States over this fifty-one-year period.
In total, based on these statistics, there were 248 babies named Jerome born in the United States from 1963 to 2014. While the name may not have reached widespread popularity during this time, it has maintained a steady, if modest, presence.