UK boy's name
Osbert
A masculine name of Germanic origin meaning "divine bear".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Osbert is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Osbert popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4527, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2008 to 2009. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Osbert. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Osbert ranked #4527 for boys in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 3 boys were registered as Osbert.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Osbert as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4527
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Osbert mean?
The name Osbert is of Old English origin, derived from the elements "os" meaning "divine" and "beorht" meaning "bright" or "shining." It emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, which spanned from the 5th to the 11th centuries.
The name was particularly popular among the Anglo-Saxons who inhabited the regions of modern-day England before the Norman Conquest in 1066. It was sometimes spelled as "Osbeorht" or "Osbriht" in Old English manuscripts and records.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Osbert can be found in the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions several individuals bearing the name Osbert, indicating its prevalence among the Anglo-Saxon population at the time.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Osbert was borne by several notable figures. Osbert of Stoke, a 12th-century Benedictine monk and hagiographer, wrote a significant work on the life of St. Edmund, the martyred King of East Anglia (died 869). Osbert de Clare (c. 1072-1093), a nobleman and son of Richard FitzGilbert, was one of the companions of William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest.
During the Renaissance period, Osbert Codrington (c. 1489-1567) was an English Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on theological topics. Later, in the 17th century, Osbert Jasper (1613-1678) was an English Franciscan friar and scholar known for his writings on theology and philosophy.
In more recent history, Osbert Alphonce (1900-1988) was a prominent architect from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) who designed numerous buildings, including the University of Colombo and several churches. Osbert Lancaster (1908-1986) was a highly regarded British cartoonist, writer, and theater designer, known for his satirical illustrations and contributions to various publications.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Osbert throughout history, reflecting its enduring usage across different eras and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Osbert over time
The chart below shows babies named Osbert registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Osbert, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Osbert by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Osbert was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4480 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Osbert
- Oliver 157,197
- Oscar 67,495
- Owen 33,517
- Ollie 13,193
- Oakley 9,838
- Omar 6,823
- Otis 6,395
- Oskar 4,827
- Olly 4,403
- Otto 3,839
- Osian 3,145
- Owain 2,310
FAQ
Osbert: questions and answers
How popular is the name Osbert in the UK right now?
In 2009, Osbert was ranked #4527 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Osbert most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 3 babies registered as Osbert in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Osbert?
A masculine name of Germanic origin meaning "divine bear".
How many people are called Osbert in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Osbert across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.