Herbert Boy

Popularity: #869 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationHER-burt / /ˈhɜːrbərt/

German; Old English

Meaning

Bright army; illustrious warrior

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Herbert has roots in both German and Old English, deriving from the elements 'heri' meaning army and 'berht' meaning bright or illustrious. It was popularized in the Middle Ages and has been borne by various saints and historical figures. The name has seen fluctuating popularity over the centuries, particularly in English-speaking countries.

Trend Summary

Herbert has seen a decline in popularity in the United States since the mid-20th century.

Similar Names

Variants

  • Herb
  • Herbie

International Variants

  • Hervé (French)
  • Herberto (Spanish)
  • Herberto (Italian)

Famous people named Herbert

Herbert Hoover was the 31st President of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933.

Herbert Marcuse was a German-American philosopher and sociologist associated with the Frankfurt School.

Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian conductor and one of the most renowned in the 20th century.

Herbert Spencer was an English philosopher known for his contributions to sociology and evolutionary theory.

Fictional characters named Herbert

Herbert the Pervert is a character from the animated television series 'Family Guy', known for his distinctive voice and humorous personality.

Herbert the Bear is a character in the video game series 'Animal Crossing', known for his friendly demeanor.

Sibling Suggestions

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Herbert was first seen in the United States in 1880. Herbert has ranked as high as #50 nationally, which occurred in 1928, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, and Virginia. In the past 5 years the name Herbert has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Herbert (2024)

StateBirthsShare
CA 7
58%
TX 5
42%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
1880424
1881369
1882431
1883422
1884421
1885388
1886400
1887445
1888485
1889472
1890467
1891501
1892513
1893519
1894585
1895569
1896635
1897565
1898716
1899590
1900751
1901573
1902615
1903668
1904680
1905681
1906689
1907710
1908759
1909831
1910886
19111,125
19122,236
19132,723
19143,253
19154,341
19164,463
19174,745
19185,128
19194,960
19205,249
19215,217
19225,047
19235,071
19245,121
19254,924
19264,939
19275,017
19288,065
19297,881
19305,675
19314,788
19324,368
19333,685
19343,601
19353,436
19363,117
19373,040
19383,014
19393,097
19402,875
19412,964
19423,112
19433,043
19442,773
19452,664
19462,819
19472,857
19482,870
19492,731
19502,621
19512,704
19522,656
19532,616
19542,591
19552,504
19562,397
19572,279
19582,085
19591,843
19601,784
19611,688
19621,579
19631,505
19641,391
19651,380
19661,159
19671,152
19681,056
19691,008
19701,034
1971951
1972804
1973707
1974677
1975671
1976632
1977587
1978568
1979617
1980568
1981551
1982515
1983481
1984437
1985430
1986382
1987349
1988400
1989350
1990349
1991285
1992307
1993273
1994235
1995217
1996204
1997195
1998193
1999151
2000157
2001148
2002161
2003120
2004109
2005118
2006113
2007104
2008110
200994
201099
201181
201272
201379
201475
201579
201680
201777
201871
201954
202059
202153
202264
202367
202455