Holding steady.
Popularity of Herby since 1918
Babies named Herby per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 |
| 1920s | 73 |
| 1930s | 129 |
| 1940s | 118 |
| 1950s | 103 |
| 1960s | 63 |
| 1970s | 46 |
| 1980s | 40 |
| 1990s | 61 |
| 2000s | 11 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Herby is a diminutive of Herbert, a Germanic name meaning 'bright army', which was brought to England by the Normans. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1918 and reached its peak popularity in 1929, during the decade of the 1920s. Although it has never ranked in the Top 1000, its peak year of 1929 saw a modest number of births. Since then, its trajectory has been stable, indicating occasional but consistent use. As a diminutive, Herby shares the friendly, informal tone of other vintage nickname-names like Bertie and Freddie, making it a choice that evokes early 20th-century charm without becoming a revivalist trend.
Herby is a diminutive of Herbert, from the Old German elements 'heri' meaning 'army' and 'beraht' meaning 'bright' or 'famous'. The name was introduced to England by the Normans and has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages, though Herby as a standalone name emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an affectionate short form.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Herb
Variants: Herbie
Sibling names for Herby
Names that share Herby's style, for a brother or sister.
