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.
- #5,167 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 990
- born since 1900
- 1920s
- peak 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.
- #5,167 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 990 born since 1900
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Herald ranks #5,167 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 990 born since 1900, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5,167 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 990
- born since 1900
- 1920s
- peak decade
Herald's 990 recorded births place it above 88.63% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by West Virginia.
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 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
1920s is the heaviest window (276 births, 28% of the file).
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 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% |
22 of 990 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Herald? ▼
Where does Herald sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Herald most popular? ▼
Where is Herald most popular? ▼
How long has the name Herald been used? ▼
What names are similar to Herald? ▼
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
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
Compare Herald side by side: Herald vs Herbert Herald vs Herman Herald vs Herschel
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Herald: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1926)
Similar record span (~122 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.