Herbert is a Germanic name composed of heri, army, and beraht, bright, so it means "bright army" or "illustrious warrior"; the Normans brought it to England, where it also became an aristocratic surname. Americans know it from President Herbert Hoover and the science-fiction author Frank Herbert, and it was a top 100 name in the early 20th century. Herbert left the top 1000 after ranking number 966 in 2000 and stands at number 2656 in 2025 with 49 boys.