Given name & surname
Delbert
“one who is noble; a bright man”
Delbert is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “one who is noble; a bright man.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “one who is noble; a bright man.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Delbert through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 47,056
- 46,930 boys · 126 girls
- Most popular year
- 1932
- 1,038 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #6,901 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −30%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,901 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 30.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,038 in 1932. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 16,746 as a first name in 2020; 242 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Delbert’s family of names
Delbert has a related form in Dealbeorht. Delbert has a related form in Dealbert. Delbert has a related form in Delbirt.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Dilbertvariant
- Dellbertlikely variant
- Dealbertvariant
- Dealbeorhtvariant
- Dilbyrtvariant
- Dilbirtvariant
- Dilburtvariant
- Delbyrtvariant
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See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Delbert
- Delbert MannAmerican television and film director (1920–2007)
- Sonny WestAmerican actor, bodyguard for Elvis Presley1938–2017
- Delbert McClintonAmerican blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianistborn 1940
- The PatriotAll-American college football player, professional wrestler (1961-2021)
- Delbert LambAmerican speed skater (1914–2010)
- Delbert Hosemann33rd Lieutenant Governor of Mississippiborn 1947
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Delbert, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Delton
“from the town in the valley”
>99% boys
Elbert
“a wellborn man” · “a bright man”
>99% boys
Gilbert
“servant of St BRIDGET” · “of the bright promise”
>99% boys
Darold
“the ruler of an army”
>99% boys
Garner
“one who gathers or keeps grain”
83% boys · 17% girls
Elgin
“a noble man; one who is white-skinned”
>99% boys
Norbert
“one who shines from the north”
>99% boys
Edsel
“one who is plain” · “one who is noble and bright”
>99% boys