Hilbert is of German origin, derived from the given name Hilarius, which means 'cheerful' or 'happy'. The name Hilbert gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to its association with David Hilbert, a renowned German mathematician who made significant contributions to various fields including invariant theory, calculus of variations, functional analysis, mathematical physics, and the study of the foundations of geometry. He is often referred to as one of the greatest mathematicians of the 19th century. The name Hilbert was also borne by other notable individuals in fields such as philosophy, politics, and medicine, adding to its distinctiveness and recognition.
The name Hilbert experienced a significant peak in popularity between the years 1912 and 1916, with a high of 80 births in 1916. However, it appears that this trend did not continue, as there was a steady decline in the number of births with the name Hilbert from 1917 onwards. By the late 1940s and early 1950s, the popularity of the name had significantly decreased, with fewer than 20 births per year recorded. This trend continued into the 1960s, 1970s, and even the 1980s and 1990s, with only a handful of births each year bearing the name Hilbert. In total, there were 2020 births registered as Hilbert over the period covered by these statistics.