Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Ethelbert

Ethelbert

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Ethelbert

Pronounced ETH-uhl-burt /ˈɛθ.əl.bɜːrt/Low

Meaning: Ethelbert comes from the Old English name Aethelberht, joining aethel, 'noble,' to beorht, 'bright' or 'famous,' for 'noble-bright' or 'famous through nobility.' Its most celebrated bearer is Ethelbert, King of Kent, the first Anglo-Saxon king to accept Christianity. The name kept a scholarly, antique dignity into the Victorian revival of Old English names.Medium

In 30 seconds: Ethelbert is a rare boy's name, an Old English name meaning 'noble-bright,' borne by an early king of Kent. It appeared in the early twentieth century (said ETH-uhl-burt).
💕 Browse more names
Origin MediumEnglish, Anglo-Saxon
MeaningEthelbert comes from the Old English name Aethelberht, joining aethel, 'noble,' to beorht, 'bright' or 'famous,' for 'noble-bright' or 'famous through nobility.' Its most celebrated bearer is Ethelbert, King of Kent, the first Anglo-Saxon king to accept Christianity. The name kept a scholarly, antique dignity into the Victorian revival of Old English names.
U.S. rank (1975)#5735 ↘ Falling
1975 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1916
Total births (all-time)≈ 178

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191618871975

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ethelbert is a true Old English name, formed from aethel, 'noble,' and beorht, 'bright' or 'famous,' so that it means 'noble-bright.' It was carried by Ethelbert of Kent, an early and influential king remembered for welcoming Christianity and setting down England's first written laws. The Victorians' fondness for Anglo-Saxon names gave it a modest revival, which carried faintly into the early twentieth century.

Ethelbert appears in United States records mostly in the early twentieth century, given to about fifteen boys at its best around the mid-nineteen-tens before its antique weight sent it out of fashion. A boy named Ethelbert then would belong to the great-grandparent generation today.

Did you know? Ethelbert, King of Kent, was the first Anglo-Saxon king to convert to Christianity and issued the earliest surviving set of English written laws.
Overall data confidence 55%
References - Ethelbert — Old English Aethelberht 'noble-bright' (aethel + beorht); Ethelbert King of Kent.

Variations

EthelbrechtAethelberhtEgbertEthel

Nicknames

BertBertieEth

Famous Bearers

  • ★Ethelbert of Kent (c. 550-616)
    early Anglo-Saxon King of Kent, first English king to adopt Christianity and issue written laws

If you like Ethelbert…

Egbert— a like Old English -bert name
Albert— a familiar -bert name of similar feel
Johnrobert— shares the -rt ending
Etheridge— lands in the same popularity range
Stuart— shares the -rt ending

Explore names like Ethelbert

By themerareenglishvintageroyalanglo-saxon

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Ethelbert mean?

It is an Old English name meaning 'noble-bright,' from aethel ('noble') and beorht ('bright'), borne by a king of Kent.

How do you pronounce Ethelbert?

It is said ETH-uhl-burt /ˈɛθ.əl.bɜːrt/ - three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Ethelbert a boy or girl name?

Ethelbert is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Ethelbert?

It was always rare in the United States, seen mostly in the early nineteen-hundreds and given to only about fifteen boys at its best.

💬 Ask Nia