I started tracing my family tree a couple of months ago and have found 5 Gertrudes up to 1891 but none after that. The last one was known by her middle name, according to my family, this is because she thought it was old fashioned even then. I quite like it though.
-- Anonymous User 8/17/2005
This name is also very rarely a male name. It just barely made the list of top 1000 male names in the United States during the first decade of the 20th century.
Gertrude has been considered an "old ladies' name" for as long as I've been alive (56 yrs). Of course, the names that were popular when I was a child (Karen, Carol, Linda) are rapidly turning into "old lady names" in their own right. Name trackers have noted that many an old fashioned name has made a comeback in recent decades (Emma, Emily), but the savviest commentators have noted that these are "vowel rich" names whereas "Gertrude" is heavy with consonants. This tendency would likely work against Mildred, say, as well. Someone above pointed out that Gertrude "contains" the word "rude," and therefore has negative connotations. Etymologically, of course, it has nothing to do with "rudeness," but we're talking subjective impressions. Doesn't help that Mildred "contains" the word "dread" either, I suppose.
BTW, Drew Barrymore's character in ET was called "Gertie," but it wasn't clear what her actual given name was. It could have been an "off-the-wall" nickname for all we know.
This name is no longer used in its home country Germany. Most people connect this name to old ladies and not to babies. It has no good sound either, not in German and not in English, I think it would be a bad thing to give it to a child. Not even the Nickname "Gertie" is positive because it means literally something like "spear-y, shaft-y, lance-y". The other possible Nickname "Trudi" sounds like someone rather simple.. I think there are so many nicer names available which could be used. Gertrude is definitely not a name which needs to be resurrected!