Holding steady.
Popularity of Herold since 1894
Babies named Herold per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1923, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Herold's real moment was 1894.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 146 |
| 1920s | 177 |
| 1930s | 130 |
| 1940s | 61 |
| 1950s | 41 |
| 1960s | 21 |
| 1970s | 6 |
| 1980s | 16 |
| 1990s | 15 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Herold is a German name meaning 'army ruler', a cousin of the more familiar Harold. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1894, its peak year, though it has never ranked among the top 1000 names. Its trajectory has been stable, with very sparse usage over the decades. In 2025, the name remains exceedingly rare, with no recorded births per million. Herold has not been concentrated in any particular state. The name's strong Germanic roots and straightforward meaning make it a distinctive choice, but its rarity reflects a broader shift away from traditional Germanic names in the English-speaking world.
Herold is a German name derived from the elements 'heri' meaning army and 'wald' meaning rule or power. It is a variant of Harald and Harold, which have Old Norse and Old English cognates. The name was historically used among German-speaking populations but has declined in modern times.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Herold
Names that share Herold's style, for a brother or sister.
