Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2023

Hercules

Meaning Hera Gender Boy Rank 2025 #4,921 Trend ↑ Rising 41%

From Latin Herculēs, from Etruscan 𐌇𐌄𐌓𐌂𐌋𐌄 (hercle), from Ancient Greek Ἡρακλῆς (Hēraklês), apparently cognate of Ἥρα (Hḗra, “Hera”) and, according to Haudry, from…

Rank 2025
#4,921
among boys · ↑1,681 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
20
named Hercules
How common
1 in 85,404
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2023
30 babies
All-time total
1,320
#4,311 all-time among boys
First recorded
1908
in Social Security records

Hercules popularity over time

1,320 babies have been named Hercules since 1908, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1908Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s 6 1 – #1,291
1910s 111 11 +1750% #1,456
1920s 168 17 +51% #1,364
1930s 173 17 +3% #1,319
1940s 149 15 -14% #1,574
1950s 163 16 +9% #1,674
1960s 109 11 -33% #1,796
1970s 67 7 -39% #3,042
1980s 57 6 -15% #4,277
1990s 59 6 +4% #5,807
2000s 20 2 -66% #8,526
2010s 120 12 +500% #4,135
2020s (to 2025) 118 20 +64% #3,749

Where Hercules is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 21 0.01 outside top 500
2027 21 0.01 outside top 500
2028 22 0.01 outside top 500
2029 22 0.01 outside top 500
2030 23 0.01 outside top 500

The story of Hercules

Hercules is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,921 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1908, 1,320 American babies have been named Hercules. Its peak came in 2023, when 30 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Hercules stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Hercules?

The median living Hercules is about 48 years old; half are between 10 and 69. An estimated 700 people named Hercules are alive in the United States today.

median 48 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Hercules year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 20 #4,921
2024 13 #6,602
2023 30 #3,749
2022 22 #4,610
2021 21 #4,685
2020 12 #6,767
2019 10 #7,848
2018 25 #4,135
2017 12 #6,847
2016 19 #5,008
2015 17 #5,372
2014 15 #5,830
2013 6 #11,237
2012 6 #11,302
2011 5 #13,013
2010 5 #12,961
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 7 #9,949
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 6 #10,040
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 7 #8,526
1995 8 #6,610
1990 5 #8,622
1985 – –
1980 7 #5,156
1975 10 #3,520
1970 – –
1965 7 #3,376
1960 19 #1,877
1955 18 #1,872
1950 20 #1,674
1945 10 #2,314
1940 16 #1,761
1935 14 #1,977
1930 17 #1,855
1925 20 #1,765
1920 24 #1,564
1915 15 #1,915
1910 5 #1,699
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Hercules

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Hercules Seghers Hercules Seghers Dutch painter and engraver (c.1589 – c.1638) 16th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Hercules, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Hercules?

The median living Hercules is about 48 years old. Half of all living Herculess are between 10 and 69 years old.

How many people named Hercules are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Hercules are alive in the United States, based on 1,320 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Hercules mean?

From Latin Herculēs, from Etruscan 𐌇𐌄𐌓𐌂𐌋𐌄 (hercle), from Ancient Greek Ἡρακλῆς (Hēraklês), apparently cognate of Ἥρα (Hḗra, “Hera”) and, according to Haudry, from Proto-Indo-European *yóh₁r̥ (“year, season”) + κλέος (kléos,…

How popular is the name Hercules in 2025?

Hercules ranked #4,921 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Hercules?

1,320 babies have been named Hercules in the United States since 1908, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Hercules most popular?

Hercules peaked in 2023, when 30 newborns received the name.

Is Hercules a boy or girl name?

Hercules is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Hercules rising or falling?

Hercules is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Hercules become more popular?

Hercules is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 23 boys named Hercules in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Hercules?

Well-known people named Hercules include Hercules Seghers (painter).

Names like Hercules

Names that sound and feel close to Hercules: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Hercules with similar names → More names starting with H →