Total births
806
Unisex name · since 2004
Hero
Hero has 806 recorded births since 2004 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2021 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2308
- among boys today
- 806
- born since 2004
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Hero currently ranks #2308 among unisex names in America, with 806 babies recorded since 2004.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Hero has been recorded 806 times among boys since 2004, currently ranked #2308 nationally and more common than 84% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 2004 to 2025.
- #2308 among boys today
- 806 born since 2004
- 2020s peak decade
- 84% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Hero is currently the #2308 unisex name in America, more common than 84% of boys - 806 born since 2004, peaking in the 2020s.
- #2308
- among boys today
- 806
- born since 2004
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Hero vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2308
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 84% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
49% of everyone ever named Hero was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
70 babies were named Hero in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Hero compares
806 Top 34% higher than 66% 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
Hero's all-time total is 120% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hero | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 806 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 70 | 23 | 22,252 |
Hero's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Hero's SSA record in two at 2015 and the more recent half accounts for 81% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 19%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 2004, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2021 peak of 70, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Hero at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#2,308
Active since
2004
Hero popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 2004–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 70
- Annual births at peak, across 22 years of records
Hero popularity over time - girls
219 total births recorded since 2000 (Hero as girls' name)
Hero by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Hero's strongest decade.
391 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Hero births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 2000s 63
2000s
63 births
- 2010s
2010s
352 births
- 2020s
2020s
391 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 391 births (49% of all-time use).
How Hero 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 Hero's total volume
Hero vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Hero by state
Where Hero concentrates geographically, total births since 2004
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 129 | 16.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 52 | 6.5% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 30 | 3.7% |
| #4 | Florida | | 10 | 1.2% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 6 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 5 | 0.6% |
California share of Hero's total US births 16.0%
Even split
129 of 806 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hero? ▼
Hero has been given to 806 babies in the U.S. since 2004, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2308 as of the latest data. 70 babies were born in 2021, its single highest year.
When was Hero most popular? ▼
Hero was most popular in the 2020s decade with 391 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Hero most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Hero are California (129 births), Texas (52 births), Georgia (30 births).
Is Hero a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Hero is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 806 births, and as a girl's name it has 219 births.
How long has the name Hero been used? ▼
Hero has been recorded in Social Security data since 2004, spanning 22 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Hero? ▼
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 Hero's data
- California records the most Heros (129 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Hero
Nearby Names Like Hero
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hero
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 Hero side by side: Hero vs Herbert Hero vs Herman Hero vs Herschel
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hero
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, 2004–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hero: #2308 Unisex Name - 806 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hero. 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 Hero 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.