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Gilberta
Pronounced gil-BUR-tuh /ɡɪlˈbɜrtə/Medium
Meaning: Gilberta is a feminine form of Gilbert, built from the Germanic elements gisil, pledge or hostage, and beraht, bright. Adding the -a ending gave families a feminine counterpart to a well-established men's name.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
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
Gilberta is the feminine of Gilbert, whose Germanic parts mean roughly bright pledge. It followed the old pattern of adding -a to a man's name, and appears in American records from the late 1890s onward.
It was never common, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its high around 1917 and largely gone by the 1970s. A girl named Gilberta then would be a great-grandmother today, from a generation fond of feminized family names.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gilberta mean?
It is the feminine of Gilbert, from Germanic roots meaning bright pledge.
How do you pronounce Gilberta?
It's said gil-BUR-tuh /ɡɪlˈbɜrtə/, three syllables with the stress on the second.
Is Gilberta a boy or girl name?
Gilberta is used as a girl's name.
Is Gilberta a popular name?
No, it was always rare, a feminine of Gilbert given to only a few girls a year and last recorded in the nineteen-seventies.