Fun Facts About the Name Bertha
- Decades of popularity: Bertha stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 51 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1930.
- More than 208 thousand babies named Bertha: U.S. records list 208,804 babies given the name Bertha from 1880 through 2025. Even 937 boys received the name Bertha - about 1 boy for every 222 girls.
What Does the Name Bertha Mean?
Bertha is a female name of Germanic origin. It comes from the element berht (also recorded as Old High German beraht, Old English beorht, and Gothic bairhts), which meant "bright, shining." In personal names, the element could also suggest "famous" or "illustrious," so the name is commonly glossed as "bright, famous." The same root is related to the English word bright and appears in other Germanic names such as Albert, Robert, and Herbert. Bertha is sometimes treated as a short form of compound names containing this element, but it is also attested as a name in its own right. Translations such as "shining one" are customary interpretations of the literal sense, not a separate etymology.
Bertha Name History & Origins
The name developed among Germanic-speaking peoples in early medieval Europe. It is recorded in Latin documents as Berta or Bertha, reflecting the Germanic element berht. One of the earliest well-documented bearers was Bertha, a Frankish princess who married Æthelberht, king of Kent, in the late sixth century. As a Christian, she worshiped at a church in Canterbury, and she is associated with the arrival of Augustine of Canterbury's mission in 597. Her story belongs to the early history of the name, not to its origin.
In the Middle Ages, the name was borne by noblewomen and queens in several parts of Europe. Bertha of Burgundy was queen of France around the turn of the eleventh century. Bertha of Holland was queen of France in the eleventh century. Bertha of Savoy became Holy Roman Empress in the eleventh century. Bertha of Sulzbach was Byzantine empress in the twelfth century. The name also appears in monastic records, including Bertha of Blangy, an abbess in Artois. In French the name is usually Berthe, while Italian and Spanish use Berta.
In the nineteenth century, Charlotte Brontë gave the name to Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre (1847). That is a famous literary use, but it is not the earliest record of the name. During World War I, "Big Bertha" was a nickname for a large German artillery piece, a twentieth-century association unrelated to the name's Germanic meaning.
How Popular is the Name Bertha?
Bertha remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1930. Its highest annual birth count was in 1918, and people born that year turn 108 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,569 | 30 | 0.0019% |
| 2024 | #4,775 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2023 | #4,765 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2022 | #4,216 | 34 | 0.0021% |
| 2021 | #5,110 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 2020 | #4,660 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2019 | #4,556 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 2018 | #4,791 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2017 | #4,825 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2016 | #4,096 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2015 | #4,610 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2014 | #4,280 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2013 | #4,921 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2012 | #4,986 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2011 | #3,416 | 47 | 0.0027% |
| 2010 | #3,756 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 2009 | #3,520 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 2008 | #3,590 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2007 | #2,865 | 63 | 0.0033% |
| 2006 | #2,512 | 73 | 0.0038% |
| 2005 | #2,871 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 2004 | #2,400 | 71 | 0.0039% |
| 2003 | #2,677 | 59 | 0.0032% |
| 2002 | #2,114 | 80 | 0.0045% |
| 2001 | #1,798 | 99 | 0.0055% |
| 2000 | #1,855 | 92 | 0.0051% |
| 1999 | #1,613 | 104 | 0.0059% |
| 1998 | #1,544 | 108 | 0.0061% |
| 1997 | #1,377 | 124 | 0.0071% |
| 1996 | #1,314 | 130 | 0.0074% |
| 1995 | #1,209 | 142 | 0.0081% |
| 1994 | #1,347 | 124 | 0.0069% |
| 1993 | #1,114 | 161 | 0.0089% |
| 1992 | #1,061 | 172 | 0.0093% |
| 1991 | #1,137 | 156 | 0.0083% |
| 1990 | #1,015 | 179 | 0.0094% |
| 1989 | #1,024 | 167 | 0.0091% |
| 1988 | #1,078 | 146 | 0.0082% |
| 1987 | #1,005 | 155 | 0.0089% |
| 1986 | #1,042 | 145 | 0.0085% |
| 1985 | #951 | 163 | 0.0095% |
| 1984 | #989 | 146 | 0.0087% |
| 1983 | #905 | 166 | 0.0099% |
| 1982 | #835 | 187 | 0.0110% |
| 1981 | #781 | 209 | 0.0125% |
| 1980 | #801 | 203 | 0.0122% |
| 1979 | #769 | 209 | 0.0130% |
| 1978 | #775 | 199 | 0.0130% |
| 1977 | #675 | 232 | 0.0151% |
| 1976 | #686 | 216 | 0.0147% |
| 1975 | #605 | 263 | 0.0180% |
| 1974 | #574 | 276 | 0.0188% |
| 1973 | #531 | 316 | 0.0217% |
| 1972 | #573 | 288 | 0.0189% |
| 1971 | #523 | 351 | 0.0211% |
| 1970 | #521 | 367 | 0.0210% |
| 1969 | #487 | 398 | 0.0236% |
| 1968 | #484 | 396 | 0.0241% |
| 1967 | #457 | 429 | 0.0260% |
| 1966 | #401 | 528 | 0.0312% |
| 1965 | #394 | 554 | 0.0314% |
| 1964 | #380 | 639 | 0.0337% |
| 1963 | #401 | 575 | 0.0298% |
| 1962 | #350 | 730 | 0.0371% |
| 1961 | #350 | 739 | 0.0366% |
| 1960 | #323 | 850 | 0.0420% |
| 1959 | #313 | 872 | 0.0431% |
| 1958 | #289 | 955 | 0.0475% |
| 1957 | #275 | 1,010 | 0.0494% |
| 1956 | #282 | 953 | 0.0475% |
| 1955 | #239 | 1,153 | 0.0590% |
| 1954 | #238 | 1,158 | 0.0596% |
| 1953 | #233 | 1,173 | 0.0623% |
| 1952 | #218 | 1,249 | 0.0674% |
| 1951 | #208 | 1,332 | 0.0740% |
| 1950 | #193 | 1,396 | 0.0815% |
| 1949 | #181 | 1,520 | 0.0888% |
| 1948 | #183 | 1,515 | 0.0892% |
| 1947 | #180 | 1,603 | 0.0904% |
| 1946 | #173 | 1,532 | 0.0975% |
| 1945 | #165 | 1,429 | 0.1093% |
| 1944 | #151 | 1,628 | 0.1227% |
| 1943 | #150 | 1,788 | 0.1281% |
| 1942 | #147 | 1,757 | 0.1301% |
| 1941 | #140 | 1,723 | 0.1426% |
| 1940 | #141 | 1,730 | 0.1513% |
| 1939 | #135 | 1,794 | 0.1636% |
| 1938 | #131 | 1,817 | 0.1647% |
| 1937 | #121 | 1,955 | 0.1837% |
| 1936 | #122 | 1,913 | 0.1839% |
| 1935 | #114 | 2,070 | 0.1974% |
| 1934 | #112 | 2,081 | 0.1993% |
| 1933 | #106 | 2,162 | 0.2145% |
| 1932 | #101 | 2,473 | 0.2317% |
| 1931 | #102 | 2,364 | 0.2220% |
| 1930 | #95 | 2,605 | 0.2314% |
| 1929 | #93 | 2,800 | 0.2508% |
| 1928 | #81 | 3,161 | 0.2741% |
| 1927 | #80 | 3,380 | 0.2835% |
| 1926 | #76 | 3,583 | 0.3023% |
| 1925 | #74 | 3,772 | 0.3098% |
| 1924 | #65 | 4,122 | 0.3301% |
| 1923 | #64 | 4,122 | 0.3417% |
| 1922 | #63 | 4,419 | 0.3679% |
| 1921 | #59 | 4,608 | 0.3737% |
| 1920 | #57 | 4,604 | 0.3842% |
| 1919 | #52 | 4,754 | 0.4207% |
| 1918 | #51 | 5,051 | 0.4363% |
| 1917 | #51 | 4,881 | 0.4514% |
| 1916 | #49 | 4,900 | 0.4692% |
| 1915 | #46 | 4,785 | 0.4864% |
| 1914 | #41 | 3,859 | 0.5067% |
| 1913 | #39 | 3,345 | 0.5356% |
| 1912 | #36 | 3,288 | 0.5891% |
| 1911 | #36 | 2,606 | 0.6230% |
| 1910 | #33 | 2,651 | 0.6686% |
| 1909 | #29 | 2,444 | 0.7039% |
| 1908 | #29 | 2,384 | 0.7131% |
| 1907 | #26 | 2,363 | 0.7418% |
| 1906 | #25 | 2,302 | 0.7796% |
| 1905 | #21 | 2,434 | 0.8347% |
| 1904 | #20 | 2,363 | 0.8581% |
| 1903 | #22 | 2,309 | 0.8814% |
| 1902 | #22 | 2,372 | 0.8982% |
| 1901 | #19 | 2,257 | 0.9430% |
| 1900 | #16 | 3,019 | 1.0071% |
| 1899 | #16 | 2,294 | 0.9845% |
| 1898 | #17 | 2,642 | 1.0210% |
| 1897 | #13 | 2,502 | 1.0683% |
| 1896 | #15 | 2,565 | 1.0781% |
| 1895 | #11 | 2,626 | 1.1240% |
| 1894 | #14 | 2,496 | 1.1197% |
| 1893 | #10 | 2,623 | 1.2320% |
| 1892 | #11 | 2,617 | 1.2325% |
| 1891 | #10 | 2,372 | 1.2788% |
| 1890 | #10 | 2,388 | 1.2544% |
| 1889 | #11 | 2,293 | 1.2856% |
| 1888 | #7 | 2,450 | 1.3716% |
| 1887 | #7 | 2,037 | 1.3954% |
| 1886 | #8 | 2,001 | 1.3845% |
| 1885 | #8 | 1,860 | 1.3979% |
| 1884 | #9 | 1,789 | 1.3866% |
| 1883 | #7 | 1,682 | 1.4975% |
| 1882 | #9 | 1,508 | 1.3983% |
| 1881 | #9 | 1,324 | 1.4399% |
| 1880 | #9 | 1,320 | 1.4506% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | #6,827 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #3,997 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #3,574 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #2,729 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1958 | #3,578 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #3,568 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #2,585 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #2,726 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #3,791 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #3,356 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #2,627 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #3,402 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,207 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1945 | #3,376 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,653 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #2,081 | 13 | 0.0009% |
| 1942 | #2,274 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1941 | #1,827 | 15 | 0.0012% |
| 1940 | #2,191 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1939 | #1,536 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1938 | #1,748 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1937 | #2,002 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1936 | #1,878 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1935 | #1,713 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1934 | #1,787 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1933 | #2,108 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1932 | #1,390 | 25 | 0.0024% |
| 1931 | #1,854 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1930 | #1,604 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1929 | #2,329 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1928 | #1,833 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1927 | #1,564 | 24 | 0.0021% |
| 1926 | #1,612 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1925 | #2,205 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #1,633 | 23 | 0.0020% |
| 1923 | #2,131 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1922 | #1,956 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1921 | #2,070 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1920 | #1,647 | 22 | 0.0021% |
| 1919 | #2,694 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1918 | #2,173 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1917 | #1,649 | 20 | 0.0022% |
| 1916 | #1,962 | 15 | 0.0017% |
| 1915 | #2,196 | 12 | 0.0014% |
| 1914 | #2,290 | 9 | 0.0014% |
| 1913 | #1,449 | 14 | 0.0027% |
| 1912 | #1,098 | 18 | 0.0042% |
| 1911 | #1,767 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1910 | #871 | 13 | 0.0067% |
| 1909 | #1,030 | 9 | 0.0055% |
| 1908 | #1,127 | 7 | 0.0045% |
| 1907 | #669 | 15 | 0.0102% |
| 1906 | #801 | 10 | 0.0075% |
| 1905 | #795 | 10 | 0.0076% |
| 1904 | #570 | 16 | 0.0125% |
| 1903 | #740 | 10 | 0.0084% |
| 1902 | #691 | 11 | 0.0090% |
| 1901 | #963 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1900 | #492 | 22 | 0.0146% |
| 1899 | #1,064 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1898 | #705 | 10 | 0.0082% |
| 1897 | #730 | 9 | 0.0080% |
| 1896 | #646 | 12 | 0.0100% |
| 1895 | #581 | 13 | 0.0111% |
| 1894 | #544 | 14 | 0.0121% |
| 1893 | #658 | 10 | 0.0089% |
| 1892 | #604 | 12 | 0.0098% |
| 1891 | #710 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1890 | #897 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1889 | #555 | 12 | 0.0109% |
| 1888 | #556 | 13 | 0.0108% |
| 1887 | #549 | 11 | 0.0108% |
| 1886 | #545 | 12 | 0.0108% |
| 1885 | #522 | 13 | 0.0121% |
| 1884 | #710 | 8 | 0.0070% |
| 1883 | #811 | 6 | 0.0057% |
| 1882 | #708 | 8 | 0.0070% |
| 1881 | #881 | 5 | 0.0050% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Bertha
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Bertha Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Bertha's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Bertha's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.