boy's name
Hector
EK-tor
- Origin Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 123,991
the United States
#409
2025 births
Hector is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "holding fast," borne by the Trojan prince who is the most sympathetic figure in the Iliad. It ranks 141st in France and 409th in the United States.
- Hector is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 2005, when 2,458 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 4,256 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Hector Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 95 |
| 1890s | 103 |
| 1900s | 125 |
| 1910s | 694 |
| 1920s | 1,481 |
| 1930s | 1,799 |
| 1940s | 2,825 |
| 1950s | 7,123 |
| 1960s | 9,664 |
| 1970s | 12,253 |
| 1980s | 15,257 |
| 1990s | 19,598 |
| 2000s | 20,897 |
| 2010s | 12,137 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 5,158 |
What Hector Means
Hector means holding fast, or one who holds. The Greek hektor comes from echein, to hold or restrain, and the sense is defensive — someone who holds a line rather than one who advances.
Where Hector Comes From
Hector comes from the Greek Hektor, from echein, to hold, and the name suits its bearer exactly: he is Troy's defender, the man holding the city rather than the one who started the war. The Iliad treats him more generously than any Greek in it — his farewell to Andromache and their infant son in book 6 is the poem's most quoted domestic scene, and Achilles' desecration of his body after killing him is presented as the disgrace that Achilles must be shamed out of. He was counted among the Nine Worthies in medieval Europe, which is how the name entered French and Scottish use. In Scotland it served as an anglicization of the unrelated Gaelic Eachann, from each, a horse. The English verb to hector, meaning to bully, derives from the name by way of seventeenth-century London street gangs who took it, and reverses his character completely.
Hector in Use
Hector ranks 141st in France with about 430 births in 2025 and 409th in the United States with 779 births, where Héctor carries Hispanic use. It is falling from a peak in 2005. It is on record from 1880. It also holds 255th in Scotland and 278th in England and Wales, which is broad reach for a classical name.
How Popular Is Hector?
In 2025, Hector was given to 779 babies in the United States, ranking #409 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Hector Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Hector Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Héctor | Héctor is a rare spelling of Hector, written with an acute accent and recorded about 20 times, mostly in France. | 20 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Hector
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Hector Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Hector over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Hector
- Pronunciation EK-tor /ɛk.tɔʁ/
Hector in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Hector
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Hector — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Hector
What does the name Hector mean?
Hector means "holding fast," from the Greek echein, to hold — fitting for Troy's defender.
Who was Hector?
The Trojan prince killed by Achilles, and the most sympathetically drawn figure in the Iliad.
Why does "to hector" mean to bully?
Seventeenth-century London street gangs took the name, and the verb followed them rather than the character.
Is Hector a Scottish name?
It served as an anglicization of the unrelated Gaelic Eachann, from each, a horse.
How popular is the name Hector?
In 2025, Hector was given to 779 babies in the United States, ranking #409 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Hector a girl's or a boy's name?
Hector is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Hector?
Hector has 2 syllables.
When was Hector most popular?
Hector peaked in 2005, when 2,458 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Hector a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Hector currently ranks #141 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.