Total births
10,674
Boys' name · since 1880
Herschel
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 10,674 babies named Herschel, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4892
- among boys today
- 10,674
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Herschel is the #4892 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 10,674 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Herschel recorded 10,674 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #4892 nationally today, ahead of 66% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #4892 among boys today
- 10,674 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 66% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Herschel is currently the #4892 boys' name in America, more common than 66% of boys - 10,674 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4892
- among boys today
- 10,674
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
Herschel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4892
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 66% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Herschel was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
277 babies were named Herschel in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Herschel compares
10,674 Top 8% higher than 92% 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
Herschel's all-time total is 29x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Herschel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 10,674 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 277 | 23 | 22,252 |
Herschel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Herschel splits its recorded history at 1953: 27% of all births land in the more recent half, 73% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1881 (8 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 277 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Herschel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#4,892
Active since
1880
Herschel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 277
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Herschel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Herschel's strongest decade.
2,258 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Herschel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 150
1880s
150 births
- 1890s 262
1890s
262 births
- 1900s 359
1900s
359 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,701 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,258 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,476 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,296 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,012 births
- 1960s 591
1960s
591 births
- 1970s 376
1970s
376 births
- 1980s 402
1980s
402 births
- 1990s 262
1990s
262 births
- 2000s 144
2000s
144 births
- 2010s 204
2010s
204 births
- 2020s 181
2020s
181 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,258 births (21% of all-time use).
How Herschel 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 Herschel's total volume
Herschel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Herschel by state
Where Herschel concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Indiana | | 742 | 7.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 704 | 6.6% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 692 | 6.5% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 679 | 6.4% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 522 | 4.9% |
| #6 | Kentucky | | 481 | 4.5% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 448 | 4.2% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 394 | 3.7% |
Indiana share of Herschel's total US births 7.0%
Even split
742 of 10,674 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.
Herschel appears in 27 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Herschel? ▼
Herschel has been given to 10,674 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4892 as of the latest data. 277 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Herschel most popular? ▼
Herschel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,258 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Herschel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Herschel are Indiana (742 births), Texas (704 births), Illinois (692 births).
How long has the name Herschel been used? ▼
Records for Herschel go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Herschel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Herbert, Herman, Hershel, Heriberto, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Herschel's data
- Herschel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (2,258 total births); usage has since declined to 181 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Indiana records the most Herschels (742 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Indiana 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 Herschel
Nearby Names Like Herschel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Herschel
Herbert Boy
#2444 228,266 births
Herman Boy
#2637 135,977 births
Hershel Boy
#2675 10,329 births
Heriberto Boy
#2531 10,266 births
Hernan Boy
#2175 5,230 births
Compare Herschel side by side: Herschel vs Herbert Herschel vs Herman Herschel vs Hershel
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Herschel
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Herschel: #4892 Boys' Name - 10,674 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/herschel. 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 Herschel 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.