Herschel
Herschel, Herschell, Herschelle or Hershel is a given name and a surname of German origin. Notable people with the name include:
- American
- Yiddish
Meaning & Origin of Herschel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Herschel, Herschell, Herschelle or Hershel is a given name and a surname of German origin. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- American
- Yiddish
The Story of Herschel
The earliest SSA record of Herschel as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 11 babies received it. 1921 was its biggest year on record, with 277 newborns named Herschel — #361 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 21% of all recorded Herschels. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,674 among baby boy names with 16 births, falling sharply (-32%). In total, more than 11K Herschels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Herschel
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Herschel. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Herschel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Herschel 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 Herschel
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About the name Herschel
Herschel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Herschel's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #277. Use the chart and map above to compare Herschel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1921 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- 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.