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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tolbert

Tolbert

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Tolbert

Pronounced TOL-bert /ˈtɒlbərt/Medium

Meaning: Tolbert is a surname turned first name, from an old Germanic personal name such as Talebert or Tolbert, built on elements that give a sense of 'bright' or 'famous'. Passed down as a family surname and then a given name, it saw quiet use among American families in the early twentieth century.Low

In 30 seconds: Tolbert is a surname-name from a Germanic personal name carrying the sense of 'bright' or 'famous' (said TOL-bert).
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Origin LowGerman, English
MeaningTolbert is a surname turned first name, from an old Germanic personal name such as Talebert or Tolbert, built on elements that give a sense of 'bright' or 'famous'. Passed down as a family surname and then a given name, it saw quiet use among American families in the early twentieth century.
U.S. rank (1987)#6881 ↘ Falling
1987 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1922
Total births (all-time)≈ 792

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192218811987

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

Tolbert began as a surname from an old Germanic personal name, its -bert ending meaning 'bright' or 'famous'. Handed down in the surname-as-forename fashion, it was given quietly to American boys around the early twentieth century.

It was never common, a couple dozen boys a year at most around the early nineteen-twenties, and it faded through the century. A boy given it then would be a great-grandfather now, and it reads as an old surname-name rather than a modern one.

Did you know? Tolbert shares the Germanic -bert ending, 'bright' or 'famous', with many old names like Albert and Gilbert.
Overall data confidence 45%
References - Tolbert — Surname-name < Germanic -bert 'bright, famous'

Variations

TalbertTolliverTolbart

Nicknames

TolBert

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Tolbert…

Gilbert— another -bert Germanic boys' name
Delbert— a like vintage -bert name
Thelbert— lands in the same popularity range
Wilbert— shares Tolbert's English roots
Norbert— echoes that soft -rt sound

Explore names like Tolbert

By themevintagesurname-namegerman

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Tolbert mean?

It's a surname-name from a Germanic personal name whose -bert ending means 'bright' or 'famous'.

How do you pronounce Tolbert?

It's said TOL-bert /ˈtɒlbərt/, two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Tolbert a boy or girl name?

Tolbert is used as a boy's name.

Is Tolbert a popular name?

No, it was always rare, an old surname-name seen only slightly in the early twentieth century.

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