Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Norbert” come from?

Norbert derives from Old High German nord combined with an element meaning "bright" or "famous," tracing through Proto-Germanic nurþrą and ultimately to Proto-Indo-European roots h₁en and h₁ner-.

Ancestry of “Norbert”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanberahtbright
2Proto-Germanic*berht—
3Proto-Germanicberhtazbright, shining
4Proto-Germanichrabnazraven
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱorh₂-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →