Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1924

Norbert

Meaning north Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

From Old High German nord (“north”) + beraht (“bright”).

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Norbert
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1924
635 babies
All-time total
20,385
#832 all-time among boys
First recorded
1885
in Social Security records

Norbert popularity over time

20,385 babies have been named Norbert since 1885, 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
0.190.380.560.7518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 35 35 4 – #740
1890s – 133 133 13 +280% #428
1900s – 234 234 23 +76% #399
1910s – 2,879 2,879 288 +1130% #233
1920s 6 5,933 5,939 594 +106% #207
1930s – 4,142 4,142 414 -30% #228
1940s – 2,497 2,497 250 -40% #338
1950s – 1,919 1,919 192 -23% #452
1960s – 1,208 1,208 121 -37% #579
1970s – 519 519 52 -57% #897
1980s – 348 348 35 -33% #1,371
1990s – 231 231 23 -34% #2,297
2000s – 157 157 16 -32% #4,071
2010s – 93 93 9 -41% #5,500
2020s (to 2025) – 51 51 9 -9% #6,248

The story of Norbert

Norbert 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 1885, 20,385 American babies have been named Norbert. Its peak came in 1924, when 635 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 Norbert stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Norbert?

The median living Norbert is about 69 years old; half are between 57 and 80. An estimated 5,700 people named Norbert are alive in the United States today.

median 69 020406080100

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

Norbert year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – 14 #6,387
2023 – – 7 #10,496
2022 – – 6 #11,901
2021 – – 14 #6,248
2020 – – 10 #7,907
2019 – – 17 #5,500
2018 – – 11 #7,478
2017 – – 8 #9,450
2016 – – 5 #13,640
2015 – – 9 #8,521
2014 – – 9 #8,604
2013 – – 7 #10,421
2012 – – 7 #10,455
2011 – – 10 #7,919
2010 – – 10 #7,967
2009 – – 10 #8,129
2008 – – 13 #6,664
2007 – – 13 #6,513
2006 – – 19 #4,808
2005 – – 18 #4,777
2004 – – 18 #4,728
2003 – – 17 #4,754
2002 – – 14 #5,317
2001 – – 20 #4,071
2000 – – 15 #4,979
1995 – – 24 #2,997
1990 – – 31 #2,297
1985 – – 27 #2,110
1980 – – 48 #1,371
1975 – – 50 #1,202
1970 – – 81 #897
1965 – – 111 #709
1960 – – 181 #579
1955 – – 190 #533
1950 – – 213 #452
1945 – – 196 #428
1940 – – 287 #338
1935 – – 400 #272
1930 – – 559 #228
1925 – – 609 #221
1920 – – 515 #244
1915 – – 332 #266
1910 – – 39 #444
1905 – – 29 #399
1900 – – 21 #525
1895 – – 18 #485
1890 – – 9 #720
1885 – – 6 #905
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Norbert

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

  1. 1 Norbert Wiener Norbert Wiener American mathematician and philosopher (1894–1964) 19th century
  2. 2 Norbert Elias Norbert Elias German British sociologist (1897–1990) 19th century
  3. 3 Norbert of Xanten Norbert of Xanten German Catholic bishop, founder of the Premonstratensian order 1080–1134 · Medieval
  4. 4 Norbert Hofer Norbert Hofer Austrian politician (born 1971) Contemporary
  5. 5 Norbert Röttgen Norbert Röttgen German politician (born 1965) Contemporary
  6. 6 Norbert Haug Norbert Haug German journalist (born 1952) Contemporary
  7. 7 Norbert Schemansky Norbert Schemansky American weightlifter (1924–2016) Contemporary
  8. 8 Norbert Eder German footballer (1955–2019) Contemporary
  9. 9 Norbert Nigbur Norbert Nigbur German footballer (born 1948) Contemporary
  10. 10 Norbert Lammert Norbert Lammert German politician (born 1948) Contemporary
  11. 11 Norbert Növényi Hungarian Olympic wrestler, kickboxer and actor b. 1957 · Contemporary
  12. 12 Norbert Blüm Norbert Blüm German politician (1935–2020) Contemporary
  13. 13 Norbert Ratsirahonana Norbert Ratsirahonana Malagasy politician (born 1938) Contemporary
  14. 14 Norbert Burgmüller Norbert Burgmüller German composer of the Romantic Era 1810–1836 · 19th century
  15. 15 Norbert Walter-Borjans Norbert Walter-Borjans German politician (born 1952) Contemporary
  16. 16 Norbert Meier Norbert Meier German footballer and manager b. 1958 · Contemporary
  17. 17 Norbert Eschmann Swiss-French footballer and manager (1933-2009) Contemporary
  18. 18 Norbert Hauata French Polynesian football referee b. 1979 · Contemporary
  19. 19 Norbert Rózsa Norbert Rózsa Hungarian swimmer (born 1972) Contemporary
  20. 20 Norbert Hosnyánszky Norbert Hosnyánszky Hungarian water polo player b. 1984 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Norbert?

The median living Norbert is about 69 years old. Half of all living Norberts are between 57 and 80 years old.

How many people named Norbert are alive today?

An estimated 5,700 people named Norbert are alive in the United States, based on 20,385 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Norbert mean?

From Old High German nord (“north”) + beraht (“bright”).

How popular is the name Norbert in 2025?

Norbert 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 Norbert?

20,385 babies have been named Norbert in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Norbert most popular?

Norbert peaked in 1924, when 635 newborns received the name.

Is Norbert a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Norbert rising or falling?

Norbert has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Norbert?

Well-known people named Norbert include Norbert Wiener (mathematician), Norbert Elias (sociologist), Norbert of Xanten (religious figure).

Names like Norbert

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

Compare Norbert with similar names → More names starting with N →