Boy · #8,237 in 2026

Herchel

Name: Popularity of the name Herchel in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Herchel, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#8,237

Peak Rank

#1,767 (1918)

Total Babies

454

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1907

First Year

1991

Last Year

1918

Peak Year

#1767

Peak Rank

454

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Herchel

The earliest SSA record of Herchel as a baby boy name dates back to 1907, when 5 babies received it. 1918 was its biggest year on record, with 19 newborns named Herchel — #1,767 in the national rankings. About 26% of every Herchel on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. Herchel last appeared in the published SSA data in 1991, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 454 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1900s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Herchel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Herchel is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Herschel
Hershel
Herschell
Hurtle
Hertel
Hatchel
Hearsal
Hersal
Hatchell
Hurdle
Churchill
Hirple

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Herchel

What does the name Herchel mean?

Herchel is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1907. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Herchel in 2026?

In 2026, Herchel ranks #8,237 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Herchel most popular?

Herchel reached its peak popularity in 1918, ranking #1,767 that year with 19 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Herchel most popular?

Herchel has historically been most popular in Georgia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Herchel.

Is Herchel a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Herchel is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Herchel?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Herchel include Morley, Mcdonald, Valerian. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Herchel

Herchel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1907 and has accumulated 454 births in the dataset. Herchel's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #1,767. Use the chart and map above to compare Herchel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.