Herbie
A diminutive of the male given name Herbert.
Every Herbie since 1913 — 1,094 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Herbie
Herbie is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1913, 1,094 American babies have been named Herbie. Its peak came in 1959, when 45 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Herbie stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Herbie year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | 7 | #10,163 |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | 5 | #9,380 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | 6 | #6,069 |
| 1980 | 8 | #4,668 |
| 1975 | 18 | #2,395 |
| 1970 | 11 | #2,966 |
| 1965 | 22 | #1,689 |
| 1960 | 42 | #1,219 |
| 1955 | 19 | #1,815 |
| 1950 | 17 | #1,844 |
| 1945 | 12 | #2,051 |
| 1940 | 18 | #1,655 |
| 1935 | 14 | #1,976 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,141 |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Herbie
- Herbie Hancock Musician · b. 1940
- Herbie Mann Musician · 1930–2003
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Herbie mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Herbert.
How popular is the name Herbie in 2025?
Herbie did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Herbie?
1,094 babies have been named Herbie in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Herbie most popular?
Herbie peaked in 1959, when 45 newborns received the name.
Is Herbie a boy or girl name?
Herbie is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Herbie rising or falling?
Herbie has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Herbie?
Well-known people named Herbie include Herbie Hancock (musician), Herbie Mann (musician).