Wert
A masculine name of German origin meaning "valued" or "precious".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Wert. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wert today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wert births was 1900 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wert. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wert. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1900
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1923 SSA rank
#4,874
Tracked since 1900
Popularity
Wert: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wert from the 1900s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wert by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Wert during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Wert
The name Wert has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old High German word "wert," which means "precious" or "valuable." The name likely emerged as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who were highly regarded or esteemed within their communities.
During the Middle Ages, the name Wert appeared in various German texts and records, particularly in regions such as Bavaria and Saxony. It was not uncommon for individuals to be referred to by their occupations or distinguishing characteristics, and the name Wert may have been associated with those who possessed valuable skills or craftsmanship.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wert can be found in the historical records of the city of Nuremberg, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, a merchant named Wert von Nürnberg was mentioned, suggesting that the name was already in use during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Wert. One such person was Johann Wert (c. 1560-1617), a celebrated Flemish Renaissance composer known for his sacred and secular works. His compositions were highly regarded and influential during his lifetime and beyond.
Another notable figure was Johann Jakob Wert (1592-1668), a German jurist and legal scholar who made significant contributions to the development of German civil law. His treatises and writings on legal matters were widely respected and studied by contemporary legal scholars.
In the realm of art, Johann Wert (1700-1758) was a renowned German painter and engraver. His works were particularly notable for their attention to detail and his skill in portraiture. Several of his paintings can be found in prominent museums across Europe.
Moving into more recent history, Wert Angermann (1920-2008) was a German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He served as a member of the Bundestag, the German federal parliament, from 1965 to 1987, representing the state of Lower Saxony.
Another notable figure was Wert Paulsen (1915-2005), a German writer and author known for his novels and short stories. His works often explored themes of human resilience and the complexities of life in post-World War II Germany.
While the name Wert may not be as common today as it once was, its historical roots and the individuals who have borne this name have left an indelible mark on various fields, from music and art to law and literature.
People
Wert + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wert as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wert: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wert?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wert going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Wert a common name?
We classify Wert as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wert most popular?
The single biggest year for Wert was 1900, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wert is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Wert in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wert a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wert in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Wert still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wert in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Wert can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Wert?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.