Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1916

Hertha

Meaning From German Hertha (see that entry for more) Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

From German Hertha (see that entry for more).

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Hertha
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1916
65 babies
All-time total
1,453
#5,822 all-time among girls
First recorded
1886
in Social Security records

Hertha popularity over time

1,453 babies have been named Hertha since 1886, 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
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1902Girls

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 Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s 40 4 – #673
1890s 181 18 +353% #611
1900s 221 22 +22% #577
1910s 451 45 +104% #776
1920s 312 31 -31% #1,093
1930s 124 12 -60% #1,677
1940s 90 9 -27% #1,981
1950s 16 2 -82% #5,449
1960s 18 2 +12% #5,525
1970s – – – –
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Hertha

Hertha is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1886, 1,453 American babies have been named Hertha. Its peak came in 1916, when 65 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Hertha stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Hertha?

The median living Hertha is about 83 years old; half are between 76 and 88. An estimated 100 people named Hertha are alive in the United States today.

median 83 020406080100

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

Hertha year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 5 #6,883
1960 – –
1955 6 #5,449
1950 – –
1945 10 #2,995
1940 13 #2,349
1935 7 #3,553
1930 18 #1,977
1925 28 #1,591
1920 47 #1,093
1915 61 #834
1910 27 #838
1905 13 #1,074
1900 24 #751
1895 20 #710
1890 10 #897
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Hertha

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

  1. 1 Hertha Ayrton Hertha Ayrton English electrical engineer (1854–1923) 19th century
  2. 2 Hertha Sponer Hertha Sponer German physicist and chemist (1895–1968) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Hertha?

The median living Hertha is about 83 years old. Half of all living Herthas are between 76 and 88 years old.

How many people named Hertha are alive today?

An estimated 100 people named Hertha are alive in the United States, based on 1,453 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Hertha mean?

From German Hertha (see that entry for more).

How popular is the name Hertha in 2025?

Hertha did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Hertha?

1,453 babies have been named Hertha in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Hertha most popular?

Hertha peaked in 1916, when 65 newborns received the name.

Is Hertha a boy or girl name?

Hertha is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Hertha rising or falling?

Hertha has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Hertha?

Well-known people named Hertha include Hertha Ayrton (engineer), Hertha Sponer (physicist).

Names like Hertha

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

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