Holding steady.
Popularity of Hershell since 1899
Babies named Hershell per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Hershell's real moment was 1903.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 28 |
| 1910s | 185 |
| 1920s | 380 |
| 1930s | 365 |
| 1940s | 330 |
| 1950s | 265 |
| 1960s | 142 |
| 1970s | 94 |
| 1980s | 48 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
The name Hershell is a variant of Herschel, a Yiddish diminutive of the Hebrew name Tzvi, meaning 'deer' or 'gazelle'. This name has deep roots in Ashkenazi Jewish culture and was brought to the United States by immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to U.S. Social Security data, Hershell was first recorded in 1899, with its peak popularity occurring in 1903. In recent years, the name has become extremely rare and is not currently ranked in the top 1000. The trajectory of its usage is stable but very low, reflecting a name that has largely fallen out of common use. Hershell has no recorded top states of popularity, indicating it was never regionally concentrated. As of 2025, the name continues to be used, but only sporadically, preserving a link to its historical and cultural origins.
Hershell is a variant of Herschel, a Yiddish diminutive of the Hebrew name Tzvi (צבי), meaning 'deer' or 'gazelle'. The name was historically common among Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe and later among Jewish immigrants in the United States. Herschel was also borne by the astronomer William Herschel, though his name was of German origin.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hersh, Hershy
Sibling names for Hershell
Names that share Hershell's style, for a brother or sister.
