Hero
Hero is a given name of Ancient Greek origin meaning "hero". When occurring in English discussions of classical literature, it is sometimes transliterated as Hērō. The Ancient Greeks pronounced this name along the lines of /he.roː/ while present-day English speakers pronounce it /ˈhi.ɹoʊ/. The modern Greek pronunciation of the name is /i.ˈro/ (Iro).
Meaning & Origin of Hero
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Hero is a given name of Ancient Greek origin meaning "hero". When occurring in English discussions of classical literature, it is sometimes transliterated as Hērō. The Ancient Greeks pronounced this name along the lines of /he.roː/ while present-day English speakers pronounce it /ˈhi.ɹoʊ/. The modern Greek pronunciation of the name is /i.ˈro/ (Iro).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Hero
As a girl name
Hero first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2000, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 22 Heros were born — ranking #5,796 that year. As of 2026, Hero ranks #15,243 for girls with 5 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 214 Heros have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Hero first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2004, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 70 Heros were born — ranking #2,079 that year. As of 2026, Hero ranks #2,260 for boys with 64 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 867 Heros have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Hero
Phonetically similar names — useful when Hero 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 Hero
What does the name Hero mean?
How popular is Hero in 2026?
When was Hero most popular?
In which U.S. states is Hero most popular?
Is Hero a unisex name?
What names go well with Hero?
About the name Hero
Hero is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2004 and has accumulated 867 births in the dataset. Hero's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #2,079. Use the chart and map above to compare Hero's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.