Hero
Boy name · #2205 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
Hero is currently the #2205 boy name in the United States — 65 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2276, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 27,692 boys born in 2025 was named Hero.
Babies named Hero per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 21-year story
Hero first appears in the Social Security records in 2004, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 70 boys were named Hero — good for #2079 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Hero against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hero in class?
Hero scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Hero will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Hero is most common
Geography matters for names, and Hero is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Heros were GA (6), TX (6), CA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Hero
Statistically, parents drawn to Hero tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aero, Dinero, Hiro, Huck, and Kiro.
AeroDineroHiroHuckKiroMiroEchoHonor
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hero | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | #2183 |
| 2024 | 62 | #2288 |
| 2023 | 67 | #2147 |
| 2022 | 69 | #2136 |
| 2021 | 70 | #2079 |
| 2020 | 58 | #2323 |
| 2019 | 49 | #2626 |
| 2018 | 48 | #2617 |
| 2017 | 53 | #2417 |
| 2016 | 51 | #2477 |
| 2015 | 58 | #2276 |
| 2014 | 16 | #5485 |
| 2013 | 21 | #4463 |
| 2012 | 19 | #4862 |
| 2011 | 15 | #5675 |
| 2010 | 22 | #4366 |
| 2009 | 14 | #6095 |
| 2008 | 7 | #9871 |
| 2007 | 20 | #4640 |
| 2006 | 7 | #9585 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7096 |
| 2004 | 5 | #11356 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hero a popular boy name?
Hero ranked #2205 among boys in 2025 with 65 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2276.
When was the name Hero most popular?
Hero peaked in 2021, when 70 American boys received the name (ranked #2079 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Hero?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 27,692 newborn American boys was named Hero. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.