Hershel
Boy name · #2676 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 48 baby boys were named Hershel, placing it at #2676 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2528, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 37,500 boys born in 2025 was named Hershel.
The 145-year story
Hershel first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 226 boys were named Hershel — good for #407 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.
Babies named Hershel per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Hershel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hershel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Hershel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Hershel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Hershel is most common
State-level data for Hershel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Hershel
Statistically, parents drawn to Hershel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Herschel, Lemuel, Hardy, Basil, and Hosea.
HerschelLemuelHardyBasilHoseaRusselHarlandClement
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hershel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48 | #2676 |
| 2024 | 49 | #2674 |
| 2023 | 52 | #2541 |
| 2022 | 47 | #2753 |
| 2021 | 32 | #3497 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3025 |
| 2019 | 31 | #3571 |
| 2018 | 36 | #3171 |
| 2017 | 38 | #3071 |
| 2016 | 40 | #2935 |
| 2015 | 49 | #2528 |
| 2014 | 41 | #2847 |
| 2013 | 39 | #2895 |
| 2012 | 35 | #3179 |
| 2011 | 47 | #2590 |
| 2010 | 30 | #3531 |
| 2009 | 30 | #3551 |
| 2008 | 44 | #2753 |
| 2007 | 42 | #2811 |
| 2006 | 35 | #3083 |
| 2005 | 52 | #2265 |
| 2004 | 40 | #2643 |
| 2003 | 33 | #2922 |
| 2002 | 30 | #3022 |
| 2001 | 23 | #3617 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hershel a popular boy name?
Hershel ranked #2676 among boys in 2025 with 48 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2528.
When was the name Hershel most popular?
Hershel peaked in 1924, when 226 American boys received the name (ranked #407 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Hershel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 37,500 newborn American boys was named Hershel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.