Skip to content
Name Lineage

    The first name Gilbert

    A boy’s name meaning “pledge”, “bright”, “famous”.

    Pronounced /ˈɡɪlbɚt/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Gilbert means “pledge”, “bright”, “famous”.

    From Old French Gislebert, from Proto-Germanic *Gīslaberhtaz, from *gīslaz (“pledge”) + *berhtaz (“bright, famous”).

    More names that mean famous, light.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 12 boys were named Gilbert, making it the 2,014th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2013, with 40 births (#783).

    02040 1996200020052010201520202025
    582
    babies named Gilbert, 1996–2025
    #2,014
    rank in 2025
    2013
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Gilbert with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Gilbert at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 145 boys born in the United States were named Gilbert, the 1,330th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1930, when 2,119 were.

    01,5003,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    130,821
    babies named Gilbert since 1880
    #1,330
    rank in 2025
    1930
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Gilbert in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    吉爾伯特 /吉尔伯特
    Jíěrbótè
    Chinese
    Gijsbert
    Dutch, also Gilbert
    גילברט
    Hebrew
    Gilberto
    Italian, also Gisberto
    Gilberto
    Portuguese
    Ги́лберт
    Gílbert
    Russian
    Gilberto
    Spanish

    Spelled Gilbert in French and German too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Gilbert

    Other spellings and forms

    • Gibbs

    Famous people named Gilbert

    137 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Gilbert Gottfried
      American stand-up comedian (1955–2022)
    • Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
      French general and politician (1757–1834)
    • Gilbert N. Lewis
      American physical chemist, 1875–1946
    • Gilbert Ryle
      British philosopher, 1900–1976
    • Gilbert Bécaud
      French singer, composer, pianist and actor (1927–2001)
    • Gilbert Arenas
      American basketball player, born 1982
    • Gilbert Baker
      American artist and gay rights activist (1951–2017)
    • Gilbert Stuart
      American painter (1755–1828)
    • Gilbert White
      18th-century English priest and naturalist; (1720-1793)
    • Gilbert Roland
      American film actor (1905–1994)
    • George Gilbert Scott
      English architect (1811–1878)
    • Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine
      Duke of Lotharingia, died 939

    Questions

    What does the name Gilbert mean?
    Gilbert means “pledge”, “bright”, “famous”.
    How popular is the name Gilbert?
    In 2025, 12 boys born in England and Wales were named Gilbert, ranking 2,014th. Its peak was 2013, with 40 births.
    What are nicknames for Gilbert?
    Common nicknames for Gilbert include Gil, Gibb, Gibbs, Gibson.
    Is Gilbert a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 130,821 US babies named Gilbert since 1880 were boys.
    When was Gilbert most popular?
    1930 in the United States, when 2,119 babies were named Gilbert, its highest rank at 90th.
    How do you pronounce Gilbert?
    Gilbert is /ˈɡɪlbɚt/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Gilbert?
    Gibbs.
    Is Gilbert also a surname?
    Yes. Gilbert is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.