Gilbert (given name)

Look up Gilbert in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Gilbert is a given name of Norman-French origin,^[1] itself from Germanic Gisilberht or Gisalberht.^[2][3] Original spellings included Gislebert, Guilbert and Gilebert. The first element, Gil-, comes from Germanic gīsil, meaning "shaft of an arrow" or gisal "pledge, hostage", while the second element, -bert comes from Germanic -behrt, short form of beraht, meaning "bright" or "famous".^[4][5] Another origin arises from Galwegian Gaelic in the name "Gille Brigte" meaning "follower of St Bridget" which is anglicised as "Gilbert".

The name was introduced to England by the Normans where it was popular during the Middle Ages. That is the reason why the pronunciation Gil- [gil] reflects the Northern Norman one [gil], as opposed to Old French [dʒil] > French [ʒil] and explains the alternative spelling Guilbert with Guil- [gil].

Variant spellings have evolved throughout Europe, including the Romance language version, Gilberto, and the Latin version, Gilbertus. The diminutive, Gil, is popular as a given name or nickname. Gilbert, with variant spellings, is also used as a surname (see Gilbert (surname)).

People with the name

• Saint Gilbert (disambiguation)
• Gilbert of England or Gilbertus Anglicus (c. 1180 – c. 1250), English physician
• Gilbert of Glenluce (died 1253), Scottish, 13th-century Cistercian monk, abbot and bishop
• Gilbert of Sempringham (c. 1083-1190), the only Englishman to found a monastic order
• Gislebertus, 12th-century sculptor
• Gilbert Arenas (born 1982), professional basketball player
• Gilbert Brown (born 1971), American football player
• Gilbert Brulé (born 1987), ice hockey player
• Gilbert Cates (1934-2011), director and producer of film, TV and theater, producer of 14 Academy Awards shows, president of the Directors Guild of America
• Gilbert Cavan (died 1420), Scottish cleric
• G. K. Chesterton (Gilbert Keith Chesterton, 1874–1936), writer
• Gilbert Crispin (1055?-1117), Anglo-Norman monk appointed abbot, proctor and servant of Westminster Abbey, England
• Gilbert Cruz (born 1980), Puerto Rican wrestler
• Gilbert de Beauregard Robinson (1906–1992), Canadian mathematician
• Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke (c. 1100-1148) Anglo-Norman earl
• Gilbert de la Porrée (1070–1154) or Gilbertus Porretanus, French scholastic logician and theologian
• Gilbert Eisner, American fencer
• Gilbert Gottfried (born 1955), actor and comedian
• Gil Hodges (1924-1972), American baseball player
• Gilbert Khunwane (born 1977), Batswana boxer
• Gilbert Levin (born 1948), American conductor
• Gilbert Mamery (1927–2003), Puerto Rican disc-jockey, musicologist, radio station owner, radio and television personality, marketing impresario and composer
• Gilbert Melendez (born 1982), American mixed martial artist
• Gilbert O'Sullivan, stage name of Irish musician Raymond Edward O'Sullivan
• Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828), American painter
• Gilbert Tosetti (1879-1923), English cricketer
• Gilbert Tuhabonye (born 1974), American long distance runner
• Gilbert F. White (1911–2006), American geographer

Fictional characters

• Gil Grissom, in the television series Crime Scene Investigation (C.S.I.)
• Gilbert, Caillou's animated and puppet cat in the Canadian children's television programme Caillou
• Gilbert Beilschmidt, the national personification of Prussia in the manga and anime series Axis Powers Hetalia
• Gilbert Blythe, in Lucy Maud Montgomery's novels series Anne of Green Gables
• Gilbert Grape, the eponymous character in the film What's Eating Gilbert Grape
• Gilbert Nightray, from the manga and anime series Pandora Hearts
• Gilbert Dauterive, cousin of the character Bill Dauterive from the animated television series King of the Hill

In other languages

• French: Gilbert
• German: Gilbert
• Italian: Gilberto
• Portuguese: Gilberto
• Spanish: Gilberto
• Turkish: Jilbert, Jilber

See also

• Gilbert (surname)
• Gilberto

References

1. ↑ "Behind the Name: Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Gilbert". Retrieved 2013-05-12. 
2. ↑ Albert Dauzat, Noms et prénoms de France, Librairie Larousse 1980, édition revue et commentée par Marie-Thérèse Morlet. p. 292a.
3. ↑ Etymology of "Gilbert"
4. ↑ DAUZAT 292a.
5. ↑ Etymology of "Gisilberht"

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.