Declining since 2006, #409 for boys today.
Popularity of Hector since 1880
Babies named Hector per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 95 |
| 1890s | 103 |
| 1900s | 125 |
| 1910s | 694 |
| 1920s | 1,481 |
| 1930s | 1,794 |
| 1940s | 2,825 |
| 1950s | 7,101 |
| 1960s | 9,604 |
| 1970s | 12,130 |
| 1980s | 15,108 |
| 1990s | 19,493 |
| 2000s | 20,880 |
| 2010s | 12,137 |
| 2020s | 5,158 |
Meaning & origin
Hector has been a consistent presence on the U.S. popularity charts since records began in 1880. Its peak year was 2005, when it ranked highest, though it has been declining since 2006. Currently ranked 409th in 2025, the name is borne by approximately 1 in 2,193 boys. The name is especially prevalent in Arizona, Texas, and California, reflecting its popularity among Hispanic communities. Hector's classical roots in Greek mythology give it a heroic, enduring quality that has kept it in steady use for over a century.
Derived from the Greek name Hektor, which is connected to the verb 'echein' meaning 'to hold, to possess.' In Greek mythology, Hector was the brave Trojan prince and warrior, son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, who fought heroically in the Trojan War. The name has been used in various forms across Europe since the classical era.
Where Hector is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Hector” around the world
Where Hector lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
390
babies in 2024
Quebec
29
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hec
Sibling names for Hector
Names that share Hector's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Athena, Cassandra, Helen, Penelope, Thea, Isela, Magaly, Maricela, Odalys, Arcelia, Briseis, Gissel, Marivel, Markita, Migdalia, Rosalva, Rosio, Xena, Elektra, Loida, Ofilia, Ramonia, Dilcia, Llesenia, Rosibel, Atenea, Athenea, Bernarda, Briselda, Dejanira, Gricel
Brothers: Achilles, Odysseus, Paris, Theseus, Jason, Rolando, Charon, Ernesto, Nestor, Rosendo, Ulysses, Atreus, Braulio, Erasmo, Osvaldo, Ramone, Silvestre, Ulisses, Aeneas, Ajax, Alcides, Aquiles, Argenis, Ulysee, Ulysess, Emigdio, Hannibal, Hollace, Irineo, Kester, Orestes, Ulyses, Ulysse, Achilleus, Cervando, Erasto, Kharon, Leto, Otilio, Ulyess
Names like Hector
Names whose popularity has moved with Hector's over the last 50 years.
