Total births
1,320
Boys' name · since 1908
Hercules
Hercules has 1,320 recorded births since 1908 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2023 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6494
- among boys today
- 1,320
- born since 1908
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other boys
Hercules currently ranks #6494 among boys' names in America, with 1,320 babies recorded since 1908.
Hercules has 1,320 recorded births among boys since 1908, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #6494 as of the latest data, more common than 55% of boys, busiest in the 1930s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1908 to 2025.
- #6494 among boys today
- 1,320 born since 1908
- 1930s peak decade
- 55% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Hercules is currently the #6494 boys' name in America, more common than 55% of boys - 1,320 born since 1908, peaking in the 1930s.
- #6494
- among boys today
- 1,320
- born since 1908
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other boys
Hercules vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6494
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 55% of names given to boys today.
1930s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Hercules was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
30 babies were named Hercules in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Hercules compares
1,320 Top 27% higher than 73% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Hercules's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hercules | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,320 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 30 | 23 | 22,252 |
Hercules's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Hercules splits its recorded history at 1961: 40% of all births land in the more recent half, 60% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1910 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2023 peak of 30 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Hercules at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#6,494
Active since
1908
Hercules popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1908–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 118 years of records
Hercules by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Hercules's strongest decade.
173 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Hercules births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s
1910s
111 births
- 1920s
1920s
168 births
- 1930s
1930s
173 births
- 1940s
1940s
149 births
- 1950s
1950s
163 births
- 1960s
1960s
109 births
- 1970s 67
1970s
67 births
- 1980s 57
1980s
57 births
- 1990s 59
1990s
59 births
- 2000s 20
2000s
20 births
- 2010s
2010s
120 births
- 2020s
2020s
118 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 173 births (13% of all-time use).
How Hercules 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 Hercules's total volume
Hercules vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Hercules by state
Where Hercules concentrates geographically, total births since 1908
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | South Carolina | | 240 | 18.2% |
| #2 | California | | 13 | 1.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 10 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Hawaii | | 7 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Texas | | 5 | 0.4% |
South Carolina share of Hercules's total US births 18.2%
Even split
240 of 1,320 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hercules? ▼
Hercules has been given to 1,320 babies in the U.S. since 1908, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #6494 as of the latest data. 30 babies were born in 2023, its single highest year.
When was Hercules most popular? ▼
Hercules was most popular in the 1930s decade with 173 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Hercules most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Hercules are South Carolina (240 births), California (13 births), New York (10 births).
How long has the name Hercules been used? ▼
Records for Hercules go back to 1908, giving 118 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Hercules? ▼
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 Hercules's data
- Hercules's usage has stayed within range of its 1930s decade-level peak (173 total births) through the 2020s (118) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- South Carolina records the most Herculess (240 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. South Carolina 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 Hercules
Nearby Names Like Hercules
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hercules
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 Hercules side by side: Hercules vs Herbert Hercules vs Herman Hercules vs Herschel
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hercules
Charlotte #6493
771 births · Peak 1942
Fidencio #6495
2,232 births · Peak 1928
Sinclair #6492
1,435 births · Peak 1924
Elson #6496
1,333 births · Peak 1924
Everitt #6491
592 births · Peak 2022
Osmond #6497
470 births · Peak 2022
Graydon #6490
3,509 births · Peak 2010
Francois #6498
1,818 births · Peak 1992
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1908–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hercules: #6494 Boys' Name - 1,320 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hercules. 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 Hercules 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 July 2026.