Hebert
A masculine given name of German origin meaning "bright army" or "famous warrior".
Name Census estimates that about 454 living Americans carry the first name Hebert. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hebert today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hebert births was 1928 (43 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hebert. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
454
~ 1 in 754,966 Americans
Peak year
1928
43 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
2021 SSA rank
#12,811
Tracked since 1894
Popularity
Hebert: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hebert from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 226 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hebert by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hebert during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Heberts live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas recorded the most babies named Hebert, while Mississippi, Georgia, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hebert
The name Hebert has its roots in the Germanic languages, originating from a combination of the elements "heri" meaning army and "berht" meaning bright or famous. This name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions of present-day France and Germany.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hebert can be traced back to the 7th century, when a Frankish nobleman named Hebert of Austrasia was mentioned in historical chronicles. This suggests that the name was already in use among the aristocracy of that era.
In the 9th century, a Benedictine monk named Hebert of Quedlinburg played a significant role in the development of religious literature and theological studies. His writings and teachings contributed to the spread and acceptance of the name within the Christian tradition.
During the 11th century, a French knight named Hebert de Vermandois gained renown for his participation in the First Crusade. His exploits were documented in various chronicles, further cementing the name's association with bravery and military prowess.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Hebert was Hebert de Bury, an English writer and bibliophile born in 1287. He served as the tutor to the future King Edward III and is remembered for his extensive collection of manuscripts and his contributions to the preservation of literary works.
In the 15th century, a French nobleman named Hebert de Xaintrailles distinguished himself as a skilled military commander during the Hundred Years' War. His loyalty to Joan of Arc and his victories against the English forces earned him a place in the annals of French history.
Throughout the centuries, the name Hebert has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and politicians. Among them was the French playwright and satirist Hebert Caron, born in 1599, whose works provided sharp social commentary on the societal norms of his time.
People
Hebert + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hebert as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hebert: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hebert?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 454 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hebert going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 754,966 US residents.
Is Hebert a common name?
We classify Hebert as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,066 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hebert most popular?
The single biggest year for Hebert was 1928, when 43 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hebert is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hebert a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hebert in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.