Holding steady.
Popularity of Hurshel since 1904
Babies named Hurshel per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Hurshel's real moment was 1907.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 18 |
| 1910s | 168 |
| 1920s | 254 |
| 1930s | 177 |
| 1940s | 133 |
| 1950s | 47 |
| 1960s | 39 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Hurshel is a rare name derived from Herschel, a German and Yiddish surname meaning 'little deer'. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1904, but its peak year of usage was 1907, after which it slipped into obscurity. The name has never been common, reflecting a broader trend of Herschel variants that briefly appeared in early 20th-century immigration records. The trajectory of Hurshel is stable at very low usage, with no recorded top states, indicating its rarity across the country. Unlike many vintage names revived today, Hurshel remains a quiet piece of onomastic history, appealing mostly to families with German or Yiddish heritage.
Hurshel is likely a variant of Herschel, a German and Yiddish surname derived from the Middle High German 'hirsch' meaning 'deer' or 'stag', with the diminutive suffix '-el'. Historically, Herschel was common among Ashkenazi Jews, and Hurshel appears as an Americanized spelling. The name peaked in usage in the United States in the early 1900s, particularly in 1907, before declining sharply.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hershy, Hersh
Sibling names for Hurshel
Names that share Hurshel's style, for a brother or sister.
