Zelbert
A distinctively masculine name of obscure or invented origins, potentially influenced by names like Gilbert.
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Zelbert. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zelbert today is around 71 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zelbert births was 1938 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zelbert. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Zelbert is about 71 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Zelberts were born before 1965.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Zelbert. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1938
5 babies that year
Average age
71
years old
1938 SSA rank
#4,034
Tracked since 1938
Popularity
Zelbert: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zelbert 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 Zelbert during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zelbert
The given name Zelbert has its origins in the ancient Germanic language, with roots dating back to the 5th century. The name is believed to be a combination of two words, "zal" meaning "blessed" and "bert" meaning "bright" or "shining." This suggests that the name Zelbert carries a meaning of a "blessed, bright one."
The name was initially prevalent in regions where Germanic tribes settled, including parts of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Its earliest recorded use can be traced back to the 7th century, when it appeared in monastic records from monasteries in the Rhine region.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Zelbert was a Benedictine monk who lived in the late 8th century. He was known for his scholarly works and contributions to the preservation of ancient texts. Another significant figure was Zelbert of Trier, a Frankish nobleman and military leader who lived in the 9th century and played a crucial role in defending the region against Viking raids.
In the 11th century, a cleric named Zelbert was appointed as the Bishop of Bamberg, a prominent ecclesiastical center in modern-day Germany. His tenure was marked by his efforts to promote education and the arts within the diocese.
Moving forward into the 13th century, a notable figure was Zelbert von Andernach, a German poet and minstrel who gained recognition for his lyrical works celebrating courtly love and chivalry.
In the 15th century, a Flemish painter named Zelbert van der Stockt gained prominence for his religious artworks commissioned by churches and noble patrons across the Low Countries.
While the name Zelbert has its Germanic roots, it has also been adopted and adapted in various cultures over the centuries, with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation. However, it remains a relatively uncommon name in modern times, with its usage primarily confined to certain regions with strong historical ties to its Germanic origins.
People
Zelbert + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zelbert as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zelbert: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zelbert?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zelbert 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Zelbert a common name?
We classify Zelbert as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zelbert most popular?
The single biggest year for Zelbert was 1938, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zelbert is about 71 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Zelbert in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zelbert a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zelbert 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.
Is Zelbert still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zelbert in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Zelbert can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Zelbert?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.