Hernandez
Hernández is a widespread Spanish patronymic surname that became common around the 15th century. It means son of Hernán, Hernando, or Fernando, the Spanish version of the Germanic Ferdinand. Fernández is also a common variant of the name. Hernandes and Fernandes are their Portuguese equivalents.
Meaning & Origin of Hernandez
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Hernández is a widespread Spanish patronymic surname that became common around the 15th century. It means son of Hernán, Hernando, or Fernando, the Spanish version of the Germanic Ferdinand. Fernández is also a common variant of the name. Hernandes and Fernandes are their Portuguese equivalents.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Hernandez
Hernandez first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1956, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1984, when 11 Hernandezs were born — ranking #3,701 that year. As of 2026, Hernandez ranks #12,015 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 114 Hernandezs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Hernandez
Phonetically similar names — useful when Hernandez is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hernandez
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About the name Hernandez
Hernandez is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1956 and has accumulated 114 births in the dataset. Hernandez's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #3,701. Use the chart and map above to compare Hernandez's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1984 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.