A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Bertie since 1880
Babies named Bertie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1928, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Bertie's real moment was 1886.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,153 | 103 |
| 1890s | 1,669 | 89 |
| 1900s | 1,831 | 68 |
| 1910s | 2,637 | 154 |
| 1920s | 2,859 | 191 |
| 1930s | 1,831 | 131 |
| 1940s | 1,026 | 77 |
| 1950s | 418 | 23 |
| 1960s | 147 | 15 |
| 1970s | 60 | 5 |
| 1980s | 5 | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 | 0 |
| 2010s | 29 | 0 |
| 2020s | 71 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Bertie is a diminutive that emerged from the noble compound 'adal-beraht', meaning noble and bright. It was most common as a standalone name in the 1880s, peaking in 1886 when it ranked 886. After a long decline, Bertie has been rising again since 2013, reflecting a broader trend toward vintage nickname names. In 2025, it had approximately 1 in 146115 births among girls, placing it at rank 8860. While historically unisex, its recent revival leans feminine, though it remains equally plausible as a nickname for Albert for boys. The name carries a gentle, old-fashioned charm without the weight of its longer forms.
Bertie originated as a pet form of Albert, which is from the Germanic elements 'adal' (noble) and 'beraht' (bright). Historically, it was used for both boys and girls, though in modern times it's more common as a nickname for Albert or Bertram. The name saw peak popularity in the 1880s as a standalone given name.
Where Bertie is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Bertie” around the world
Where Bertie lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
Ireland
4
babies in 2025
Sources: CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bert
Variants: Bertie
Sibling names for Bertie
Names that share Bertie's style, for a brother or sister.
