Gerðr or Gerd was the name of a giantess in Norse mythology, and this seems to be the ultimate source of the personal name Gerda. The name means 'protection', and is related to garðr, an enclosure or area protected by a wall. Indeed, some sources prefer this more literal interpretation as the source of the name Gerda.
These Norse words are connected to Old English geard or gard, and therefore to Isengard, the Old English name used by the Rohirrim for Saruman's walled tower (which means in full 'iron enclosure'). Old English gard for a walled area evolved in various ways into modern English usage, and lies behind common words like 'yard' and 'garden'.
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