boy's name
Herschel
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 10,687
Herschel is a boy's name with 2 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 34 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Peaked in 1921, when 277 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 97,513 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Herschel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 150 |
| 1890s | 262 |
| 1900s | 359 |
| 1910s | 1,701 |
| 1920s | 2,258 |
| 1930s | 1,476 |
| 1940s | 1,296 |
| 1950s | 1,012 |
| 1960s | 591 |
| 1970s | 376 |
| 1980s | 402 |
| 1990s | 262 |
| 2000s | 144 |
| 2010s | 204 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 181 |
How popular is Herschel?
In 2025, Herschel was given to 34 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Herschel 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.
Names that peaked alongside Herschel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Herschel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Herschel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Herschel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Herschel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Herschel
How popular is the name Herschel?
In 2025, Herschel was given to 34 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Herschel a girl's or a boy's name?
Herschel is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Herschel?
Herschel has 2 syllables.
When was Herschel most popular?
Herschel peaked in 1921, when 277 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Herschel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Herschel currently ranks #3,419 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.