Total births
990
Boys' name · since 1900
Herald
Since 1900, U.S. Social Security records show 990 babies named Herald, peaking in 1926. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 990
- total births
- 1900–2022
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
Herald is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 990 have been recorded since 1900.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Herald has been recorded 990 times among boys since 1900, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1900 to 2022.
- 990 total births
- 1900–2022 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
990 boys have been named Herald since 1900, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2022.
- 990
- total births
- 1900–2022
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Herald was born in this single decade.
1926
Single peak year
38 babies were named Herald in 1926 - its busiest year on record.
Herald's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Herald's full recorded timeline at 1940, 32% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 68% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1900, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1926 peak of 38 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Herald at a glance
Last recorded 2022Peak year
1926
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1900
Herald popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1900–2022
- Peak year (1926)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 123 years of records
Herald by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Herald's strongest decade.
276 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Herald births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 33
1900s
33 births
- 1910s
1910s
167 births
- 1920s
1920s
276 births
- 1930s
1930s
194 births
- 1940s
1940s
116 births
- 1950s 88
1950s
88 births
- 1960s 67
1960s
67 births
- 1970s 15
1970s
15 births
- 1980s 16
1980s
16 births
- 1990s 12
1990s
12 births
- 2020s 6
2020s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 276 births (28% of all-time use).
How Herald compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Herald's total volume
Herald vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Herald by state
Where Herald concentrates geographically, total births since 1900
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 22 | 2.2% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #3 | Iowa | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.5% |
West Virginia share of Herald's total US births 2.2%
Even split
22 of 990 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Herald? ▼
990 babies have been named Herald since 1900. It was last recorded in 2022. The peak year was 1926 with 38 births.
When was Herald most popular? ▼
Herald was most popular in the 1920s decade with 276 total births. The single peak year was 1926.
Where is Herald most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Herald are West Virginia (22 births), Kentucky (7 births), Iowa (5 births).
How long has the name Herald been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Herald since 1900 -- 123 years through the most recent 2022 data.
What names are similar to Herald? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Herbert, Herman, Herschel, Hershel, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Herald's data
- Herald's decade-level peak was the 1920s (276 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- West Virginia records the most Heralds (22 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West Virginia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Herald
Nearby Names Like Herald
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Herald
Herbert Boy
#2444 228,266 births
Herman Boy
#2637 135,977 births
Herschel Boy
#4892 10,674 births
Hershel Boy
#2675 10,329 births
Heriberto Boy
#2531 10,266 births
Compare Herald side by side: Herald vs Herbert Herald vs Herman Herald vs Herschel
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1900–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Herald: Baby Name Since 1900 - 990 Births, Peak 1926." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/herald. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Herald draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.