Gilbert
Boy name · #1328 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Gilbert? In official American birth records, Gilbert has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Gilbert is currently the #1328 boy name in the United States — 145 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #977, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,414 boys born in 2025 was named Gilbert.
The 145-year story
Gilbert first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 101 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1930, when 2,119 boys were named Gilbert — good for #90 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Gilbert per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gilbert against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gilbert in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Gilbert is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Gilbert will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Gilbert is most common
State-level data for Gilbert is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Gilbert
Statistically, parents drawn to Gilbert tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Herbert, Albert, Hubert, Rupert, and Bernard.
HerbertAlbertHubertRupertBernardErnestCliffordGerald
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gilbert | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 145 | #1328 |
| 2024 | 135 | #1387 |
| 2023 | 175 | #1172 |
| 2022 | 162 | #1217 |
| 2021 | 159 | #1215 |
| 2020 | 164 | #1172 |
| 2019 | 175 | #1118 |
| 2018 | 166 | #1154 |
| 2017 | 196 | #1025 |
| 2016 | 215 | #958 |
| 2015 | 211 | #977 |
| 2014 | 241 | #893 |
| 2013 | 234 | #889 |
| 2012 | 201 | #989 |
| 2011 | 242 | #869 |
| 2010 | 258 | #829 |
| 2009 | 278 | #801 |
| 2008 | 316 | #731 |
| 2007 | 347 | #684 |
| 2006 | 347 | #661 |
| 2005 | 378 | #599 |
| 2004 | 409 | #560 |
| 2003 | 361 | #597 |
| 2002 | 351 | #593 |
| 2001 | 408 | #536 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Gilbert?
In official American birth records, the name Gilbert first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 101 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Gilbert a popular boy name?
Gilbert ranked #1328 among boys in 2025 with 145 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #977.
When was the name Gilbert most popular?
Gilbert peaked in 1930, when 2,119 American boys received the name (ranked #90 that year). Since 1930 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gilbert?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,414 newborn American boys was named Gilbert. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.