Herbert

/ˈhɝbɚt/

//ˈhɝbɚt// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"herbert" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Herbert” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,943 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#8,943
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A male given name from the Germanic languages, in modern use partly transferred back from the surname.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Herbert vs Hubert
71% similar
Herbert vs herder
57% similar
Herbert vs Hibbert
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Herbert
PropertyValue
HeadwordHerbert
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈhɝbɚt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#8,943
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Herbert” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Herbert lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Herbert is 7 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhɝbɚt/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,943 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Herbert, with forms such as "ehrbert", "hebrert", and "herbbert". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "Hubert", "herder", "Hibbert", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French Herbert, from Frankish *Hariberht. The correct English form is Herbert, spelled H-E-R-B-E-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A male given name from the Germanic languages, in modern use partly transferred back from the surname.
  2. 2
    A surname originating as a patronymic.
  3. 3
    A small town in North Otago, New Zealand.
  4. 4
    A rural locality in Litchfield Municipality, Northern Territory, Australia.
  5. 5
    A former government town in South Australia.
  6. 6
    A town in the Rural Municipality of Morse No. 165, Saskatchewan, Canada.
  7. 7
    An unincorporated community in Boone County, Illinois, United States.

Etymology

From Old French Herbert, from Frankish *Hariberht.

This word in other languages

Heriberto(Español)Herbert(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ehrbert,hebrert,herbbert,herberrt,herbertt,herbetr,herbret,herebrt,herrbert,hherbert,hrebert

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Herbert - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ehrbert2hebrert2herbbert1herberrt1herbertt1herbetr2herbret2herebrt2
Edit distance from "Herbert"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Herbert"?
"Herbert" is spelled H-E-R-B-E-R-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɝbɚt/.
What does "Herbert" mean?
As a proper noun, "Herbert" means: A male given name from the Germanic languages, in modern use partly transferred back from the surname.
What words are commonly confused with "Herbert"?
"Herbert" is commonly confused with "Hubert", "herder", "Hibbert". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Herbert"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Herbert" is /ˈhɝbɚt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Herbert"?
From Old French Herbert, from Frankish *Hariberht. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Herbert”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-E-R-B-E-R-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɝbɚt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Hubert” - see the side-by-side comparison. Herbert vs Hubert
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list