Where does the name Herbert come from?

Herbert is a boy name of Germanic origin.

Is Herbert a boy or a girl name?

Herbert is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Herbert are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Herbert in 2023?

Herbert ranks #2136 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1928 with 8,113 babies.

How do you pronounce Herbert?

Herbert is pronounced HER-bert (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Herbert?

Herbert is also written as Herb, Herbie, Heriberto.

A name from Germanic · Boy

Herbert

From Germanic heri ('army') + beraht ('bright'); 'bright army' or 'illustrious warrior'. Borne by saints, English noble families (the Earls of Pembroke), and Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. president.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

228,161 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

68 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

HFrom Germanic heri ('army') + beraht ('bright'); 'bright army' or 'illustrious warrior'. Borne by saints, English noble families (the Earls of Pembroke), and Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. president.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Herbert".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Herb Most common Herbie Heriberto

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Herbert.

H
Herbert Hoover (U.S. president)
H
Herbie Hancock (jazz pianist)
H
George Herbert (metaphysical poet)

Quick answers

People often ask about Herbert.

What does the name Herbert mean?: Herbert means from Germanic heri ('army') + beraht ('bright'); 'bright army' or 'illustrious warrior'. Borne by saints, English noble families (the Earls of Pembroke), and Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. president.
Where does the name Herbert come from?: Herbert is a boy name of Germanic origin.
Is Herbert a boy or a girl name?: Herbert is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Herbert are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Herbert in 2023?: Herbert ranks #2136 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1928 with 8,113 babies.
How do you pronounce Herbert?: Herbert is pronounced HER-bert (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Herbert?: Herbert is also written as Herb, Herbie, Heriberto.

Similar names

If you love Herbert, also consider…

Robert

#88

Boy ·Germanic

Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)

From Old High German Ricohard — rīc, "ruler, power," + hard, "brave, strong" — i

Ruler of the home; estate ruler

Walter

#267

Boy ·Germanic

From Old High German Walthari — wald, "rule," + hari, "army" — i

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.