Gottlieb
A boy's name of German origin with 320 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname from German.
Gottlieb is a boy's baby name of German origin, meaning 'God's love' or 'beloved of God' — from the German Gott (God) and lieb (love, dear). It is the German equivalent of the Latin Amadeus and the Hebrew Jedidiah, all sharing the concept of divine love as a name's foundation.
Gottlieb was widely used among German and Swiss families in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in Protestant communities where naming children after divine attributes was cherished tradition. As an American name, it reflects German immigrant heritage carried with pride through generations.
EtymologyShow more
Though Gottlieb dates back to 1880 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The German classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
With only 320 recorded births, Gottlieb has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Gottlieb has 34+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1880.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 13 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 70 | ▼ |
| 1910s | 143 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 25 | ▼ |
| 1890s | 33 | — |
| 1880s | 36 | — |
The Story of Gottlieb
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1915, Gottlieb is a name steeped in history. Boys named Gottlieb are most likely born between 1905 and 1925.
How rare is Gottlieb?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Gottlieb is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1910s with 143 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Gottlieb by the numbers
- Would fill 7 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(34 years, 1880–1933)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1933 | 6 | #3429 |
| 1930 | 7 | #3416 |
| 1927 | 5 | #4425 |
| 1926 | 7 | #3521 |
| 1924 | 7 | #3638 |
| 1923 | 12 | #2505 |
| 1922 | 12 | #2549 |
| 1921 | 7 | #3664 |
| 1920 | 20 | #1783 |
| 1919 | 14 | #2192 |
| 1918 | 18 | #1855 |
| 1917 | 23 | #1500 |
| 1916 | 12 | #2317 |
| 1915 | 34 | #1110 |
| 1914 | 15 | #1638 |
| 1913 | 15 | #1396 |
| 1912 | 6 | #2384 |
| 1910 | 6 | #1484 |
| 1909 | 5 | #1550 |
| 1907 | 6 | #1256 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–1933