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Herbert as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Herbert

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The baby name Herbert is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈhɜːrbərt/ (HER-bert).

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Pronunciation: /ˈhɜːrbərt/ (HER-bert)

What is the meaning of the name Herbert ?

The baby name Herbert is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈhɜːrbərt/ (HER-bert).

Herbert is in Origin.

Herbert derives from Old High German Heribert/Hariberht, built from the elements heri/hari “army” and beraht/berht “bright, famous.” The composite sense is “bright army,” often rendered “illustrious warrior” or “army-famous.” The name traveled through Frankish and Norman channels into medieval England, settling into the English form Herbert while retaining its martial, dignified tone.

It was borne by churchmen and nobles, including Saint Heribert of Cologne and the hermit Saint Herbert of Derwentwater, and later gained fresh visibility in the 19th–early 20th centuries; in the United States it peaked around the time of President Herbert Hoover, and in Britain it read as solidly Victorian-Edwardian. International variants include Heribert (German), Heriberto (Spanish/Portuguese), and Eriberto (Italian); related diminutives are Herb, Herbie, Bert, and Bertie. Though rarer today, Herbert aligns with other -bert classics (Albert, Robert), offering a vintage, erudite profile.

Herbert has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Herbert

Herbert Hoover Politician · Born 1874 · United States Herbert Hoover served as the 31st President of the United States from 1929 to 1933, most famous for his leadership during the early years of the Great Depression. Before his presidency, he gained recognition as a successful mining engineer and humanitarian, organizing relief efforts during World War I. H. H. Asquith Politician · Born 1852 · United Kingdom Herbert Henry Asquith was a British statesman best known for serving as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. A leading figure in the Liberal Party, he was the last Liberal prime minister to lead a majority government and later also served as Leader of the Opposition. Herbert Grönemeyer Actor · Born 1956 · Germany Herbert Grönemeyer is a well-known German musician and actor, most famous for his role in the film 'Das Boot'. As a musician, he gained popularity with songs like 'Mensch' and 'Bochum', which have become classics in Germany.
Herbert Achternbusch Actor · Born 1938 · Germany Herbert Achternbusch was a German actor and filmmaker known for his avant-garde and often controversial films. He gained attention with works like 'Das Gespenst' and 'Der Neger Erwin'. His unique style and approach to storytelling made him a distinctive figure in German cinema. Herbert Ross Actor · Born 1927 · United States Herbert Ross was a prominent American director and choreographer, best known for directing the classic film 'Footloose'. He also directed 'Steel Magnolias' and 'The Goodbye Girl', showcasing his versatility in both drama and comedy. Herbert Blomstedt Musician · Born 1927 · Sweden Herbert Blomstedt is a Swedish conductor known for his work with major orchestras around the world. He is particularly famous for his interpretations of works by composers like Beethoven and Sibelius. Blomstedt has served as the music director of the San Francisco Symphony and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.

Herbert – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 1983 #1 — 339
SV Boys 0 #27 2 352
Austria Boys 0 #30 3,812 2,180
NA 0 #31 3 2,537
Austria Boys 1986 #43 125 60
BI Boys 0 #43 2 917
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
MO 0 #49 4 2,706
CM 0 #54 3 2,592
PR 0 #54 2 1,497
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
JP 0 #76 2 4,057
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
PH 0 #82 15 5,607
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
JM 0 #88 6 3,714
Austria 0 #98 143 850
TW 0 #99 5 4,523
QA 0 #102 5 7,011
OM 0 #118 4 6,215
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
Germany Boys 0 #126 4,464 5,697
ID Boys 0 #128 8 4,130
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
BW Boys 0 #133 17 4,685
PA 0 #135 4 3,797
BN Boys 0 #137 3 6,332
MT Boys 0 #158 19 4,064
PR Boys 0 #160 15 2,508
CR 0 #163 3 5,526
HU Boys 0 #170 5 3,954
Sweden Boys 2022 #175 8 1,509
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
AE 0 #182 6 10,220
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
CZ 0 #184 3 3,154
NA Boys 0 #189 47 6,830
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
JM Boys 0 #208 65 6,876
MO Boys 0 #211 13 5,842
PL 0 #211 2 2,600
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
LU Boys 0 #213 8 4,970
BG Boys 0 #218 3 3,850
TW Boys 0 #224 18 7,111
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
IR 0 #229 3 4,221
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
GH 0 #234 10 5,396
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
EC Boys 0 #245 2 3,322
AO Boys 0 #246 4 5,568
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
NG 0 #249 16 5,926
GH Boys 0 #252 96 8,138
GT Boys 0 #258 279 7,625
HR Boys 0 #259 1 3,997
CZ Boys 0 #271 34 6,530
GR Boys 0 #271 3 6,912
Germany 0 #275 169 2,542
PH Boys 0 #275 110 11,440
SG 0 #279 4 11,010
PE 0 #280 31 6,350
IL 0 #281 2 6,291
CN Boys 0 #286 34 9,639
GT 0 #286 29 5,948
JP Boys 0 #286 12 7,909
PL Boys 0 #291 45 6,459
Canada Boys 2024 #298 9 2,588
AL Boys 0 #301 3 5,122
SA 0 #304 9 10,560
DK Boys 0 #308 18 7,401
MY 0 #321 10 12,352
BR 0 #322 24 5,969
HK 0 #323 26 8,483
HK Boys 0 #337 210 12,905
MU Boys 0 #343 15 8,477
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
France Boys 1995 #347 4 1,951
PT Boys 0 #355 13 7,951
NL 0 #364 28 2,481
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
BO 0 #369 13 6,868
BR Boys 0 #380 497 12,213
UY Boys 0 #384 16 5,922
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
PE Boys 0 #390 860 14,506
Austria Girls 0 #410 11 1,885
CR Boys 0 #411 77 10,188
ZA 0 #412 36 14,421
CL 0 #426 9 6,867
NL Boys 0 #435 706 5,873
MX 0 #442 4 8,339
PA Boys 0 #446 36 9,305
CM Boys 0 #455 96 12,054
CO 0 #460 21 7,768
SD Boys 0 #463 4 10,523
BO Boys 0 #466 128 9,244
AR Boys 0 #477 7 7,628
ZA Boys 0 #509 1,026 25,619
IR Boys 0 #510 43 10,162
RU Boys 0 #520 7 12,621
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
PS Boys 0 #533 16 10,655
GT Girls 0 #541 1 7,500
BH 0 #544 10 17,937
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
CL Boys 0 #549 118 13,390
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
AE Girls 0 #597 1 20,968
IL Boys 0 #598 10 10,983
BD Boys 0 #604 2 10,045
Finland Boys 2026 #622 61 3,552
SG Boys 0 #627 71 17,960
SG Girls 0 #632 1 18,916
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
HK Girls 0 #649 2 16,104
QA Boys 0 #653 55 18,093
NG Boys 0 #666 310 16,906
IT 0 #674 41 4,183
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
KW Boys 0 #752 18 18,755
NG Girls 0 #755 32 15,093
CO Boys 0 #761 161 15,656
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
Germany Girls 0 #818 21 4,949
OM Boys 0 #827 55 17,948
United States Boys 2024 #838 55 7,044
TN 0 #861 5 13,765
Spain Boys 0 #867 64 5,610
MX Boys 0 #880 103 16,355
IT Boys 0 #913 591 10,046
CL Girls 0 #914 2 14,098
EG Boys 0 #921 5 15,035
AE Boys 0 #982 111 22,615
BR Girls 0 #989 4 12,708
MY Boys 0 #1,001 111 25,439
SA Girls 0 #1,008 7 25,931
PE Girls 0 #1,009 2 14,861
IN Boys 0 #1,037 3 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,071 2 24,821
ZA Girls 0 #1,126 16 25,928
CO Girls 0 #1,151 2 16,140
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
TR 0 #1,201 11 19,440
DZ 0 #1,232 3 20,130
MX Girls 0 #1,265 3 17,781
SA Boys 0 #1,395 220 28,008

Herbert is popular in 81 countries — most recent births per country:

France
United States
Sweden
Canada
Ireland

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Herbert

Herbert is predominantly a boy's name.
Herbert is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈhɜːrbərt/ (HER-bert).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Herb, Herbie, Heribert, Heriberto, Herbertus and Herbart.
Yes, very popular — Herbert ranked #1 in Ireland in 1983, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Herbert ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 1983).
Herbert's popularity is declining significantly. It moved from #332 in 1985 to #347 in 1995 in France.
Yes — 8 notable people named Herbert are in our database, including Herbert Hoover (Politician), H. H. Asquith (Politician), Herbert Grönemeyer (Actor).