A male name. Old German Hariberct, compound of harja ‘host’, ‘army’, and berhta ‘bright'. There was a corresponding Old English Herebeorht, but it was not very much used, and the wide diffusion of the name after the Norman Conquest was no doubt due to its reintroduction from the Continent. Herbertus occurs many times in Domesday Book, and the surnames Herbert, Herbertson, Herbison are derived from it. After the 13th C, however, it went out of general use, though it lingered on in remote corners. It was revived at the beginning of the 19th C, an early example being Herbert Southey (b. 1806), the eldest s. of the poet who was named after his uncle Herbert Hill, b. in the 1740’s. It became very popular in the later part of the century, possibly by association with the noble family of Herbert (cf. the history of Sidney).

Herbertus Domesday Book 1086, Curia Regis Rolls 1187-1220, Feudal Aids 1303, 1346. Herebert Hundred Rolls 1273. Harbert Will of Henry Condell 1625.

In Teutonic, it means ‘bright (bert) warrior (her). A Norman brought it to England ca. 1050, and ‘one of the many Herberts founded a family in Wales, which, in the time of Henry V (1413-22), was one of the first to follow the advice to use one patronymic instead of the whole pedigree of names. It is probably owing to the honours in politics, war, poetry, and philosophy of the branches of this family that Herbert has... become an exceedingly prevalent Christian name in England’ (Yonge).

A name derived from the Alemannic Heribert, Heribret, Heripreht, Old German Aribert, which Wachter derives from aer-bert, illustrious in battle. It might also come from her-bert, illustrious lord. The nickname is Hab.

Teutonic (masculine) - Illustrious ruler, or chief.

A Teutonic name, meaning: Bright warrior. (Anglo-saxon) Army hero.