Bert
Shortened version of Bertrand, Albert, Bertram, Robert, Herbert, Gilbert or any name containing the Germanic element bert/berht/beraht/brecht "bright".
Every Bert since 1880 — 34,242 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bert
Bert is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,866 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 34,242 American babies have been named Bert. Its peak came in 1918, when 715 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bert stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bert year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 6 | #10,866 |
| 2024 | — | — | 9 | #8,395 |
| 2023 | — | — | 8 | #9,025 |
| 2022 | — | — | 12 | #6,880 |
| 2021 | — | — | 7 | #9,856 |
| 2020 | — | — | 9 | #8,163 |
| 2019 | — | — | 19 | #4,985 |
| 2018 | — | — | 11 | #7,181 |
| 2017 | — | — | 10 | #7,636 |
| 2016 | — | — | 14 | #6,083 |
| 2015 | — | — | 12 | #6,720 |
| 2014 | — | — | 17 | #5,276 |
| 2013 | — | — | 9 | #8,190 |
| 2012 | — | — | 11 | #7,119 |
| 2011 | — | — | 10 | #7,576 |
| 2010 | — | — | 9 | #8,223 |
| 2009 | — | — | 7 | #9,991 |
| 2008 | — | — | 13 | #6,436 |
| 2007 | — | — | 14 | #5,946 |
| 2006 | — | — | 18 | #4,882 |
| 2005 | — | — | 13 | #5,910 |
| 2004 | — | — | 13 | #5,848 |
| 2003 | — | — | 17 | #4,633 |
| 2002 | — | — | 10 | #6,591 |
| 2001 | — | — | 23 | #3,625 |
| 2000 | — | — | 21 | #3,782 |
| 1995 | — | — | 30 | #2,515 |
| 1990 | — | — | 56 | #1,516 |
| 1985 | — | — | 61 | #1,214 |
| 1980 | — | — | 118 | #809 |
| 1975 | — | — | 162 | #635 |
| 1970 | — | — | 241 | #518 |
| 1965 | — | — | 260 | #481 |
| 1960 | 5 | #6,453 | 391 | #400 |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,902 | 405 | #359 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,356 | 339 | #368 |
| 1945 | — | — | 327 | #328 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,536 | 384 | #284 |
| 1935 | — | — | 470 | #246 |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,085 | 542 | #232 |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,501 | 536 | #245 |
| 1920 | 16 | #2,281 | 593 | #218 |
| 1915 | 22 | #1,578 | 532 | #202 |
| 1910 | 11 | #1,432 | 141 | #190 |
| 1905 | 8 | #1,434 | 134 | #154 |
| 1900 | 11 | #1,173 | 153 | #143 |
| 1895 | 7 | #1,315 | 149 | #114 |
| 1890 | — | — | 180 | #97 |
| 1885 | — | — | 276 | #66 |
| 1880 | — | — | 348 | #47 |
Famous people named Bert
- Bert Hellinger Writer · 1925–2019
- Bert Trautmann Soccer player · 1923–2013
- Bert Sakmann Biologist · b. 1942
- Bert Kaempfert Musician · 1923–1980
- Bert Patenaude Soccer player · 1909–1974
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bert mean?
Shortened version of Bertrand, Albert, Bertram, Robert, Herbert, Gilbert or any name containing the Germanic element bert/berht/beraht/brecht "bright".
How popular is the name Bert in 2025?
Bert ranked #10,866 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bert?
34,242 babies have been named Bert in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bert most popular?
Bert peaked in 1918, when 715 newborns received the name.
Is Bert a boy or girl name?
Bert is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bert rising or falling?
Bert is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bert?
Well-known people named Bert include Bert Hellinger (writer), Bert Trautmann (soccer player), Bert Sakmann (biologist).