Gilbert
Gilbert is a given name of Norman-French origin, itself from Germanic Gisilberht or Gisalberht. Original spellings included Gislebert, Guilbert and Gilebert. The first element, Gil-, comes from Germanic gīsil, meaning "shaft of an arrow" or gisal "pledge, hostage", while the second element, -bert comes from Germanic -behrt, short form of beraht, meaning "bright" or "famous".
- English
- French
- Dutch
- Germanic
Meaning & Origin of Gilbert
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gilbert is a given name of Norman-French origin, itself from Germanic Gisilberht or Gisalberht. Original spellings included Gislebert, Guilbert and Gilebert. The first element, Gil-, comes from Germanic gīsil, meaning "shaft of an arrow" or gisal "pledge, hostage", while the second element, -bert comes from Germanic -behrt, short form of beraht, meaning "bright" or "famous".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- French
- Dutch
- Germanic
The Story of Gilbert
American parents first put Gilbert on the record books as a baby boy name in 1880, with 101 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1930, when 2,119 Gilberts were born — ranking #90 that year. As of 2026, Gilbert ranks #1,346 for baby boys with 142 births, gradually falling (-12%). All told, over 130K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Gilbert
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Gilbert. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Gilbert
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Saint Gilbert (disambiguation) , multiple people
- Gilbert (Archdeacon of Lismore) , early 13th-century Irish Catholic priest
- Gilbert, Count of Brionne (c. 1000–c. 1040), French noble
- Gilbert, Count of Gravina (fl. 1159–1167), Norman French noble in Italy
- Gilbert, Count of Montpensier (1443–1496), French noble
- Gilbert of Glenluce (died 1253), Scottish, 13th-century Cistercian monk, abbot and bishop
- Gilbert of Sempringham (c. 1083–1190), the only Englishman to found a monastic order
- Gilbertus Anglicus or Gilbert of England (c. 1180 – c. 1250), English physician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Gilbert
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gilbert is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gilbert
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About the name Gilbert
Gilbert is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 130K births in the dataset. Gilbert's peak popularity came in 1930 when it ranked #90. Use the chart and map above to compare Gilbert's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1930 →
- Names of the 1930s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.