Herb
A diminutive of the male given name Herbert.
Every Herb since 1884 — 2,007 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Herb
Herb is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1884, 2,007 American babies have been named Herb. Its peak came in 1947, when 70 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Herb stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Herb year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | 8 | #4,862 |
| 1980 | 9 | #4,274 |
| 1975 | 7 | #4,511 |
| 1970 | 23 | #1,870 |
| 1965 | 35 | #1,303 |
| 1960 | 66 | #932 |
| 1955 | 20 | #1,756 |
| 1950 | 24 | #1,513 |
| 1945 | 57 | #831 |
| 1940 | 46 | #944 |
| 1935 | 43 | #973 |
| 1930 | 38 | #1,143 |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,246 |
| 1920 | 11 | #2,667 |
| 1915 | 12 | #2,235 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,160 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Herb
- Herb Alpert Musician · b. 1935
- Herb Ritts Photographer · 1952–2002
- Herb Ellis Musician · 1921–2010
- Herb Elliott Athlete · b. 1938
- Herb McKenley Athlete · 1922–2007
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Herb mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Herbert.
How popular is the name Herb in 2025?
Herb did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Herb?
2,007 babies have been named Herb in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Herb most popular?
Herb peaked in 1947, when 70 newborns received the name.
Is Herb a boy or girl name?
Herb is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Herb rising or falling?
Herb has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Herb?
Well-known people named Herb include Herb Alpert (musician), Herb Ritts (photographer), Herb Ellis (musician).