Herschel
Boy name · #3384 in 2025 · Uniqueness 80/100
In 2025, 34 baby boys were named Herschel, placing it at #3384 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3882, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 52,941 boys born in 2025 was named Herschel.
Babies named Herschel per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Herschel first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 11 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 277 boys were named Herschel — good for #361 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Herschel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Herschel in class?
Herschel scores 80 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 Herschel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Herschel is most common
State-level data for Herschel is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Herschel
Statistically, parents drawn to Herschel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hershel, Russel, Lemuel, Hubert, and Wilfred.
HershelRusselLemuelHubertWilfredGaetanoHermanCyril
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Herschel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #3379 |
| 2024 | 20 | #4890 |
| 2023 | 28 | #3883 |
| 2022 | 23 | #4442 |
| 2021 | 38 | #3121 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3025 |
| 2019 | 33 | #3426 |
| 2018 | 24 | #4226 |
| 2017 | 22 | #4466 |
| 2016 | 28 | #3776 |
| 2015 | 27 | #3882 |
| 2014 | 15 | #5733 |
| 2013 | 16 | #5404 |
| 2012 | 20 | #4686 |
| 2011 | 9 | #8079 |
| 2010 | 10 | #7591 |
| 2009 | 14 | #6095 |
| 2008 | 12 | #6763 |
| 2007 | 11 | #7094 |
| 2006 | 26 | #3782 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8299 |
| 2004 | 11 | #6520 |
| 2003 | 17 | #4616 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 17 | #4476 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Herschel a popular boy name?
Herschel ranked #3384 among boys in 2025 with 34 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3882.
When was the name Herschel most popular?
Herschel peaked in 1921, when 277 American boys received the name (ranked #361 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Herschel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 52,941 newborn American boys was named Herschel. It scores 80/100 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.