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.
- #5,877 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,205 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 806
- born since 2004
- 2020s
- peak decade
Hero currently ranks #2205 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 #2205 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.
- #5,877 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #2,205 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 806 born since 2004
- 2020s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Hero ranks #5,877 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #2,205 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 806 born since 2004, peaking in the 2020s.
- #5,877 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,205 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 806
- born since 2004
- 2020s
- peak decade
Hero's 806 recorded births place it above 87.07% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
8 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Hero compares
806 Top 35% higher than 65% of 13,930 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 118% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hero | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 806 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 70 | 34 | 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 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
2020s is the heaviest window (391 births, 49% of the file).
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 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% |
129 of 806 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hero? ▼
Where does Hero sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Hero most popular? ▼
Where is Hero most popular? ▼
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What names are similar to Hero? ▼
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
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
Compare Hero side by side: Hero vs Herbert Hero vs Herman Hero vs Herschel
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hero
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Hero: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2021)
Similar record span (~21 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, 2004–2025 (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 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 August 2026.