Herbert
From Old French Herbert, from Frankish *Hariberht.
Every Herbert since 1880 — 229,383 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Herbert
Herbert is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,656 in 2025 with 49 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 229,383 American babies have been named Herbert. Its peak came in 1928, when 8,113 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Herbert stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Herbert 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 | — | — | 49 | #2,656 |
| 2024 | — | — | 56 | #2,456 |
| 2023 | — | — | 68 | #2,136 |
| 2022 | — | — | 65 | #2,224 |
| 2021 | — | — | 53 | #2,509 |
| 2020 | — | — | 59 | #2,304 |
| 2019 | — | — | 54 | #2,470 |
| 2018 | — | — | 71 | #2,037 |
| 2017 | — | — | 77 | #1,887 |
| 2016 | — | — | 80 | #1,867 |
| 2015 | — | — | 79 | #1,858 |
| 2014 | — | — | 75 | #1,931 |
| 2013 | — | — | 79 | #1,817 |
| 2012 | — | — | 72 | #1,969 |
| 2011 | — | — | 81 | #1,786 |
| 2010 | — | — | 99 | #1,591 |
| 2009 | — | — | 94 | #1,674 |
| 2008 | — | — | 110 | #1,484 |
| 2007 | — | — | 104 | #1,519 |
| 2006 | — | — | 113 | #1,405 |
| 2005 | — | — | 118 | #1,297 |
| 2004 | — | — | 109 | #1,346 |
| 2003 | — | — | 120 | #1,222 |
| 2002 | — | — | 161 | #978 |
| 2001 | — | — | 148 | #1,011 |
| 2000 | — | — | 157 | #966 |
| 1995 | — | — | 217 | #725 |
| 1990 | — | — | 349 | #529 |
| 1985 | — | — | 430 | #410 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,943 | 568 | #331 |
| 1975 | — | — | 671 | #287 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,386 | 1,034 | #230 |
| 1965 | 12 | #3,815 | 1,380 | #183 |
| 1960 | 12 | #3,778 | 1,782 | #176 |
| 1955 | 17 | #2,764 | 2,504 | #129 |
| 1950 | 8 | #4,091 | 2,621 | #112 |
| 1945 | 18 | #2,012 | 2,664 | #94 |
| 1940 | 16 | #2,055 | 2,875 | #75 |
| 1935 | 18 | #1,873 | 3,437 | #58 |
| 1930 | 47 | #1,078 | 5,675 | #35 |
| 1925 | 32 | #1,452 | 4,924 | #42 |
| 1920 | 19 | #2,035 | 5,249 | #41 |
| 1915 | 18 | #1,835 | 4,341 | #40 |
| 1910 | — | — | 886 | #41 |
| 1905 | 7 | #1,601 | 681 | #37 |
| 1900 | — | — | 751 | #36 |
| 1895 | — | — | 569 | #36 |
| 1890 | — | — | 467 | #42 |
| 1885 | — | — | 388 | #45 |
| 1880 | — | — | 424 | #38 |
Famous people named Herbert
- Herbert Spencer Philosopher · 1820–1903
- Herbert von Karajan Conductor · 1908–1989
- Herbert Marcuse Philosopher · 1898–1979
- Herbert Hoover Politician · 1874–1964
- Herbert A. Simon Economist · 1916–2001
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Herbert mean?
From Old French Herbert, from Frankish *Hariberht.
How popular is the name Herbert in 2025?
Herbert ranked #2,656 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 49 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Herbert?
229,383 babies have been named Herbert in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Herbert most popular?
Herbert peaked in 1928, when 8,113 newborns received the name.
Is Herbert a boy or girl name?
Herbert is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Herbert rising or falling?
Herbert is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Herbert?
Well-known people named Herbert include Herbert Spencer (philosopher), Herbert von Karajan (conductor), Herbert Marcuse (philosopher).