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Home › Baby Names Directory › Gilbert

Gilbert

♂ Boy

Pronounced GIL-bert /ˈɡɪl.bərt/Low

Meaning: Bright pledge; famous hostageLow

In 30 seconds: Gilbert is an Old High German name meaning bright pledge or famous hostage, from gisil (pledge, noble hostage) and beraht (bright, famous). Borne by a medieval English saint and countless others, it has a dignified vintage quality.
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Origin LowGermanic, Norman
MeaningBright pledge; famous hostage
U.S. rank (2025)#1330 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births145 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1930
Total births (all-time)≈ 130,144

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 193018802025

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

Gilbert derives from Old High German Gislebertus combining gisil (pledge) and beraht (bright, famous). Saint Gilbert of Sempringham (1083-1189) founded the only English monastic order.

Gilbert has a warm vintage quality in the United States, associated with Gilbert & Sullivan and the beloved Anne of Green Gables character Gilbert Blythe.

Did you know? Gilbert and Sullivan — W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan — created some of Victorian England's most beloved comic operas including The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance. The name Gilbert carries the legacy of Victorian wit and musical genius.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: gilbert

Variations

GilbertoGilGibBert

Nicknames

GilGibbyBert

Famous Bearers

  • ★W.S. Gilbert (1836–1911)
    English dramatist and librettist who, with composer Arthur Sullivan, created the Savoy Operas (note: Gilbert is his surname; given name William)

If you like Gilbert…

Herbert— Same -bert Germanic name structure
Albert— Germanic noble + bright compound
Stefan— the same saint feel
Gary— a fellow Germanic choice
Elmer— the same vintage feel

Explore names like Gilbert

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Frequently Asked

What does Gilbert mean?

Bright pledge; famous hostage

How do you pronounce Gilbert?

Gilbert is pronounced GIL-bert.

What is the origin of Gilbert?

Gilbert comes from Germanic, Norman.

What names are similar to Gilbert?

Similar names include herbert, hubert, lambert.

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