How Many People Are Named Herbie?

An estimated 715 people in the United States have the first name Herbie. It is almost exclusively a male name. The average bearer is 65 years old, and Herbie peaked in popularity in 1959 with 45 births that year.

Below you will find a full statistical profile of Herbie as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Herbie paired with any surname.

Estimated Living Americans

715

About 1 in 479,377 people in the U.S.

Rarity

Very Rare

Very Rare Very Common

Predicted Gender

Male

100.0% confidence

Average Age

65

years old

Peak Year

1959

45 births

Total Registered

1,094

since 1880

Gender Distribution for Herbie

Herbie is almost exclusively a male name. Out of 1,094 total births registered, 100.0% were male.

Male 1,094 (100.0%)
Female 0 (0.0%)

Herbie as a male name

Ranked #10,163 in 2007

7 male births in 2007

Peak: 1959 (45 births)

Herbie in the 2020 Census

The 2020 Census recorded 714 people with the first name Herbie, which placed it at #15,945 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.

Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.

Gender in the 2020 Census

In the 2020 Census, Herbie was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 714 people with this name in that snapshot, 95.0% were male and 5.0% were female. That is less heavily male than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 100.0% male.

Census Count

714

people with this name

Census Rank

#15,945

among Census first names

Frequency Rate

0.24

per 100,000 people

Male 678 (95.0%)
Female 36 (5.0%)

Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census

In the 2020 Census, the first name Herbie was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (52.17%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (25.53%) and Hispanic (11.92%).

These percentages describe the people who had the first name Herbie in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.

White
52.17%
Black
25.53%
Hispanic
11.92%
Asian/Pacific Islander
4.77%
American Indian/Alaska Native
2.24%
Two or More Races
3.37%

2020 Census demographic breakdown

Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Herbie.

Group Share Count
White 52.17% 372
Black 25.53% 182
Hispanic 11.92% 85
Asian and Pacific Islander 4.77% 34
Two or More Races 3.37% 24
American Indian and Alaska Native 2.24% 16

The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.

Herbie: Popularity Over Time

SSA records for Herbie span from the 1910s to the 2000s, covering 10 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1960s, when 261 babies were registered. Herbie has declined significantly from its peak in the 1960s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.

0 9 18 27 36 45 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Herbie by Decade

How has Herbie tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.

Decade Total Male Female
1910s 14 14 0
1920s 50 50 0
1930s 155 155 0
1940s 199 199 0
1950s 223 223 0
1960s 261 261 0
1970s 120 120 0
1980s 55 55 0
1990s 10 10 0
2000s 7 7 0

Herbie by State

Birth registrations for Herbie span all 5 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in Texas, California, New York. The lowest are in Illinois, Alabama, New York. On average, about 12 Herbies were registered per state.

Herbie + Last Name Combinations

How many people share a full name with Herbie as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.

Herbie: Questions and Answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Herbie?

We estimate approximately 715 people named Herbie are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 479,377 Americans share this first name.

Is Herbie a common name?

Herbie is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 87.7% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 1,094 births have been registered with this name since 1880.

When was Herbie most popular?

Herbie reached peak popularity in 1959, when 45 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Herbie is approximately 65 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.

How common was Herbie in the 2020 Census?

The 2020 Census recorded 714 people with the first name Herbie. That placed it at #15,945 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.24 people per 100,000.

Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?

Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.

What does the SSA popularity chart show?

The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Herbie was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.

What does the Census say about the gender split for Herbie?

In the 2020 Census snapshot, Herbie was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 95.0% male and 5.0% female.

What does the Census say about the background of people named Herbie?

In the 2020 Census, the first name Herbie was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (52.17%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (25.53%) and Hispanic (11.92%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.

Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?

The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.

Does every first name have Census demographic data?

No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.

Is Herbie a male name?

Herbie is predominantly male. 100.0% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.

Why can Herbie have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?

Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Herbie peaked in 1959, and the average living bearer is about 65 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.

How many Herbie Smiths are there?

To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Herbie Smith, Herbie Johnson, Herbie Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.

Where does this data come from?

Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.

Search for a full name combination