Jerome

Jerome comes from a Greek name meaning “sacred name,” transmitted through forms including the Latin Hieronymus. Saint Jerome gives it a long scholarly and religious association. The form Hieronymus is also recognizable through painter Hieronymus Bosch, showing how different members of the same name family can look on the page.

Jerome Kern and Jerome Robbins connect the name with music and performance. Jerry has been used by several men born Jerome, including Jerry Garcia and Jerry Seinfeld, though it is also a nickname for other names. Families comparing Jerome with its longer historical forms can keep the same underlying meaning while choosing a more familiar English spelling.