Geert

Infobox Given Name Revised
name = Geert


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pronunciation= /xeːrt/; /ɣeːrt/
gender = male
meaning = Strong/Brave with the Spear
region = Most common in The Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium)
origin = Germanic
related names = Gert, Gerd, Gertje, Geertje, Gerrit, Gerry, Jerry, Gerard, Gerhard, Gerald, Gerardus
footnotes = ‘Geert’ is a Dutch forename of Germanic origin, equivalent to German Gert and English Gerry. The name is a condensed form of ‘Gerhard’, itself a combination of the Germanic words ‘ger’ (spear) and ‘hard’ (strong or brave) meaning 'Strong "or" Brave with the Spear'. The name's common female equivalent is 'Geertje'.

The pronunciation of the name varies slightly, depending on whether or not the speaker uses a variety of Dutch which distinguishes between the phonemes /x/ and /γ/. While speakers of most northern varieties of Dutch, which do not distinguish between the two phonemes, will pronounce the name as /xeːrt/, speakers of southern varieties will generally pronounce it as IPA|/ɣeːrt/.

Although 'Geert' can be used as a name in its own right, it is often the given name of persons who are formally called Gerard or Gerardus. The latter name refers usually to Saint Gerard of Toul or Saint Gerard Majella.