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Herbert Name Meaning, Origins & History

Herbert

Pronunciation: HUR-burt

Meaning Bright warrior Origin Germanic Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#2,656
TREND
174
Peak Years
1928, 1929, 1930
Lowest Years
2025, 2021, 2019
Energy Archetype
Ambitious & Self-Sufficient

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Herbert in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Herbert

  • Decades of popularity: Herbert stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 67 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1946.
  • More than 229 thousand babies named Herbert: U.S. records list 229,377 babies given the name Herbert from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,117 girls received the name Herbert - about 1 girl for every 204 boys.

What Does the Name Herbert Mean?

Herbert is a Germanic name meaning "bright army." It comes from a reconstructed Proto-Germanic compound, *Harjaberhtaz, formed from *harjaz ("army") and *berhtaz ("bright, famous"). In Old English the name appears as Herebeorht, made of here ("army") and beorht ("bright"); Old High German has related forms such as Heribert. The literal sense is "bright army." The common gloss "illustrious warrior" is a freer interpretation based on the same two elements, not a separate etymology. The name is not related to the English word herb.

Herbert Name History & Origins

The modern English name Herbert comes from the Norman French form Herbert, which continues a Germanic compound personal name. The same name had an Old English cognate, Herebeorht, made of here ("army") and beorht ("bright"), and continental Germanic languages had relatives such as Old High German Heribert. After the Norman Conquest, the Norman French form became established in England; it is the direct ancestor of the modern English given name and surname.

In the Middle Ages the name was borne by clergy and nobles. Saint Heribert, Archbishop of Cologne (died 1021), is a prominent religious bearer on the Continent. In England, Herbert became a hereditary surname and was used by noble families, including the Herberts of Raglan, later earls of Pembroke. Later notable bearers include George Herbert (1593 - 1633), the poet and priest, and Edward Herbert, first Baron Herbert of Cherbury (1583 - 1648), a philosopher and diplomat. Charles Dickens used the name for Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations (1861), a literary character rather than the name's source.

How Popular is the Name Herbert?

Herbert remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1946. Its highest annual birth count was in 1928, and people born that year turn 98 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.

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.

Famous People Named Herbert

Herbert Spencer
Herbert Spencer

Explore Name Lists Featuring Herbert

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 Herbert Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.

✦ Herbert's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Herbert's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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