Herbert Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Herbert has its roots in the Germanic language, meaning 'bright army'. It evolved from forms such as Heribert and Herbertus. The name is associated with traits of strength and brightness. It has no biblical significance but gained popularity in medieval Europe and remains a classic name today.
The name Herbert is most popular in Hawaii, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the G.I. Generation generation in the Northeast region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Herbert has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West. Across generations, 'Herbert' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 39th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 57th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 140th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 252nd out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 500th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 1238th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 2113th out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 1795th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 1738th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 3597th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 7085th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 19175th out of 27321 names. Discover how the name 'Herbert' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Herbert"
Pronunciation
/ˈhɜːrbərt/
Origin
Germanic
Etymology
The name Herbert is derived from the Germanic elements 'heri' meaning 'army' and 'berht' meaning 'bright' or 'famous'.
Meaning
bright army
Language Evolution
Heribert, Herbertus, Herbert
Historical Usage
The name Herbert became popular in medieval Europe, particularly in England, during the Norman Conquest, and has remained in use since then.
Variants & Derivatives
Herbie, Bert, Bertie
Modern Popularity & Image
Today, Herbert is seen as a traditional name, often associated with older generations, but retains a classic charm.
Famous People
Herbert Hoover, Herbert Spencer, Herbert Marshall, Herbert Grönemeyer
Explore More Herbert Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Herbert"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Herbert"
"Herbert" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 39th of 7545 | 80,651 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 57th of 6773 | 71,198 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 140th of 7552 | 43,520 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 252nd of 10718 | 13,571 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 500th of 16616 | 5,765 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 1238th of 24088 | 2,025 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 2113th of 23106 | 813 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 1795th of 9107 | 380 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 1738th of 9204 | 398 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 3597th of 12526 | 213 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 7085th of 19264 | 96 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 19175th of 27321 | 20 |
Regional Popularity of "Herbert" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
2.90% 41st/1416 |
2.83% 39th/1379 |
1.56% 37th/2366 |
4.03% 46th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
4.33% 67th/1546 |
3.21% 50th/1556 |
2.04% 48th/2353 |
5.82% 90th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
7.45% 166th/2227 |
4.65% 113th/2430 |
3.93% 112th/2853 |
7.14% 198th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
9.09% 267th/2937 |
6.32% 220th/3483 |
6.28% 221st/3518 |
9.10% 368th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
15.58% 574th/3685 |
9.94% 445th/4475 |
7.97% 414th/5194 |
10.21% 645th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
34.35% 1574th/4582 |
25.27% 1305th/5164 |
14.73% 1077th/7313 |
18.45% 1377th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
65.76% 2620th/3984 |
52.98% 2377th/4487 |
30.42% 2075th/6822 |
35.13% 2205th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Herbert" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- |
100.00% 1379th/1379 |
- | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
93.53% 1446th/1546 |
95.76% 1490th/1556 |
85.13% 2003rd/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Herbert"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Herbert" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.