Gilbert

“Pledge or hostage; bright and famous” — Germanic (via Old French) origin

Boy's name · #1330 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Few names move less than Gilbert — on the books since 1880, #1330 in 2025, and dependable in between. Roughly 130,000 boys share it. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records. Gilbert's short forms are Gil and Bert.

Around the world: about 1 in 13,000 boys in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 11 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Gilberts

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
Gilbert Ryle — British philosopher
Gilbert Bécaud — French singer, composer, pianist and actor (1927–2001)

In stories & tradition

Gilbert (Gil Grissom) — CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Gilbert Goof — Mickey Mouse universe
Gilbert Durandal — Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

What Gilberts become

Among 2,168 notable people named Gilbert:

Political leaders appear 1.97× more often than among typical names — e.g. Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, French general and politician (1757–1834).

Similar names: Melvin · Giuseppe · Sidney · Albert · Gerard · Terrence

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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