Holding steady.
Popularity of Herald since 1900
Babies named Herald per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1926, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Herald's real moment was 1904.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 33 |
| 1910s | 167 |
| 1920s | 276 |
| 1930s | 194 |
| 1940s | 116 |
| 1950s | 88 |
| 1960s | 67 |
| 1970s | 15 |
| 1980s | 16 |
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 6 |
Meaning & origin
Herald is a rare masculine name in the United States, with records dating back to at least 1900. Its peak usage occurred in 1904, but even then it never achieved high rank, and it has not appeared in the top 1000 for decades. The name has maintained a stable trajectory with very low frequency. Historically, Herald was most often given in the 1900s decade, aligning with a period when occupational and virtue names had modest appeal. Today it is an uncommon choice, appealing to parents drawn to traditional, underused names with a clear meaning.
Herald derives from the Old French 'heraut' (ultimately from Frankish *heriwald, 'army commander'), adopted into Middle English as 'heraud' or 'herald'. Historically, it referred to an official messenger or announcer, especially in medieval courts. As a given name, it was occasionally used in the 19th and early 20th centuries, often as a virtue or occupational name, but never achieved widespread popularity.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hal, Harry
Sibling names for Herald
Names that share Herald's style, for a brother or sister.
