Boys' name · since 1907
Herchel
Herchel has 454 recorded births since 1907 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1918 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8,354 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 454
- born since 1907
- 1920s
- peak decade
Herchel sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 454 recorded since 1907.
Herchel has 454 recorded births among boys since 1907, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1907 to 1991.
- #8,354 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 454 born since 1907
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Herchel ranks #8,354 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 454 born since 1907, peaking in the 1920s.
- #8,354 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 454
- born since 1907
- 1920s
- peak decade
Herchel's 454 recorded births place it above 81.61% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Georgia.
Herchel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Herchel splits its recorded history at 1936: 44% of all births land in the more recent half, 56% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1907 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 19 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Herchel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1907–1991
- Peak year (1918)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 85 years of records
Herchel by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (116 births, 26% of the file).
1920s was Herchel's strongest decade.
116 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Herchel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
79 births
- 1920s
1920s
116 births
- 1930s
1930s
94 births
- 1940s
1940s
76 births
- 1950s 41
1950s
41 births
- 1960s 24
1960s
24 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 8
1980s
8 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 116 births (26% of all-time use).
Herchel by state
Where Herchel concentrates geographically, total births since 1907
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 5 | 1.1% |
5 of 454 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Herchel's data
- Herchel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (116 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Herchels (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Herchel
Nearby Names Like Herchel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Herchel
Compare Herchel side by side: Herchel vs Herbert Herchel vs Herman Herchel 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 Herchel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1918)
Similar record span (~84 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, 1907–1991 (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 Herchel 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.