ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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No names found 

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1908

First Year

2026

Last Year

2023

Peak Year

#1217

Peak Rank

1K

Total Count

105

Years Active

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## Meaning & Origin of Hercules

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. 

Hercules is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules)

### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

* Roman Mythology
* Portuguese
* Spanish

[![Wikipedia thumbnail for Hercules](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Hercules_combatant_Achelous_%288655488835%29.jpg/330px-Hercules_combatant_Achelous_%288655488835%29.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules)

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## The Story of Hercules

Hercules first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1908, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2023: 30 births, good for #3,710 nationwide. As of 2026, Hercules ranks #4,890 for baby boys with 20 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1900s to the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

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## Names that sound like Hercules

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

* Hercule
* Herkules
* Circulars
* Circulus
* Herculean
* Circulate
* Orgulous
* Circulo
* Wheelies
* Hurtles
* Hackles
* Heckles

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

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## Frequently Asked Questions about Hercules

What does the name Hercules mean?

Hercules is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.

What is the origin of the name Hercules?

Hercules has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Spanish.

How popular is Hercules in 2026?

In 2026, Hercules ranks #4,890 among boys' names in the U.S., with 20 babies given the name that year.

When was Hercules most popular?

Hercules reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #1,217 that year with 30 babies given the name.

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

Hercules has historically been most popular in Hawaii, South Carolina, New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Hercules.

Is Hercules a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Hercules?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Hercules include Aldon, Demetrio, Emerald. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👦AldonPeak #1217](/aldon)[👦DemetrioPeak #1217](/demetrio)[👦EmeraldPeak #1217](/emerald)[👦RaffaelePeak #1217](/raffaele)[👦MarinoPeak #1217](/marino)[👦FlavioPeak #1217](/flavio)[👦TheresaPeak #1216](/theresa)[👦RaphealPeak #1216](/rapheal)

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## About the name Hercules 

Hercules is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1908 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Hercules's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #1,217\. Use the chart and map above to compare Hercules's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2023 → ](/year/2023)
* [ Names of the 2020s → ](/decade/2020s)
* [ Names starting with "H" → ](/letter/h)
* [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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. 

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