Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1923

Bertram

Meaning bright Gender Boy Rank 2025 #8,353

From Proto-Germanic *berhtaz (“bright”) +‎ *hrabnaz (“raven”).

Rank 2025
#8,353
among boys · ↓507 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
9
named Bertram
How common
1 in 189,786
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1923
228 babies
All-time total
7,955
#1,377 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Bertram popularity over time

7,955 babies have been named Bertram since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.080.150.230.318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1895Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 164 16 – #390
1890s 165 17 +1% #337
1900s 223 22 +35% #412
1910s 1,299 130 +483% #395
1920s 1,942 194 +49% #394
1930s 1,063 106 -45% #470
1940s 744 74 -30% #667
1950s 736 74 -1% #750
1960s 625 63 -15% #860
1970s 402 40 -36% #990
1980s 234 23 -42% #1,623
1990s 172 17 -26% #2,299
2000s 68 7 -60% #6,700
2010s 70 7 +3% #6,377
2020s (to 2025) 48 8 +14% #7,846

The story of Bertram

Bertram is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,353 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 7,955 American babies have been named Bertram. Its peak came in 1923, when 228 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bertram stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Bertram?

The median living Bertram is about 62 years old; half are between 48 and 74. An estimated 2,600 people named Bertram are alive in the United States today.

median 62 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Bertram year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 9 #8,353
2024 10 #7,846
2023 5 #12,488
2022 9 #8,407
2021 6 #10,969
2020 9 #8,164
2019 12 #6,828
2018 5 #12,410
2017 – –
2016 6 #10,919
2015 13 #6,377
2014 7 #9,764
2013 7 #9,766
2012 11 #7,120
2011 – –
2010 9 #8,224
2009 – –
2008 7 #9,981
2007 10 #7,658
2006 10 #7,490
2005 11 #6,700
2004 7 #9,047
2003 9 #7,304
2002 7 #8,555
2001 – –
2000 7 #8,296
1995 14 #4,305
1990 15 #3,797
1985 17 #2,845
1980 18 #2,626
1975 37 #1,455
1970 67 #990
1965 62 #934
1960 58 #1,009
1955 83 #802
1950 73 #797
1945 66 #753
1940 83 #667
1935 96 #590
1930 158 #470
1925 194 #427
1920 200 #422
1915 159 #429
1910 33 #481
1905 27 #412
1900 20 #534
1895 30 #337
1890 18 #425
1885 19 #413
1880 18 #405

Famous people named Bertram

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Bertram Ramsay Bertram Ramsay Royal Navy Admiral; commanded the Dunkirk evacuation (1883–1945) 19th century
  2. 2 Bertram Brockhouse Bertram Brockhouse Canadian physicist, Nobel laureate (1918–2003) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Bertram, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Bertram?

The median living Bertram is about 62 years old. Half of all living Bertrams are between 48 and 74 years old.

How many people named Bertram are alive today?

An estimated 2,600 people named Bertram are alive in the United States, based on 7,955 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Bertram mean?

From Proto-Germanic *berhtaz (“bright”) +‎ *hrabnaz (“raven”).

How popular is the name Bertram in 2025?

Bertram ranked #8,353 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Bertram?

7,955 babies have been named Bertram in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Bertram most popular?

Bertram peaked in 1923, when 228 newborns received the name.

Is Bertram a boy or girl name?

Bertram is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Bertram rising or falling?

Bertram has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Bertram?

Well-known people named Bertram include Bertram Ramsay (military personnel), Bertram Brockhouse (physicist).

Names like Bertram

Names that sound and feel close to Bertram: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Bertram with similar names → More names starting with B →