The first name Hershel
A boy’s name from Yiddish meaning “deer”, “buck”.
2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Yiddish origin
Hershel means “deer”, “buck” in Yiddish.
Borrowed from Yiddish הירשעל (hirshel), a diminutive of הירש (hirsh, “deer, buck”).
More names that mean deer.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 3 boys were named Hershel, making it the 5,137th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2009, with 6 births (#2,837).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Hershel with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Hershel at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 48 boys born in the United States were named Hershel, the 2,692nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 226 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Hershel
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Hershel ShanksAmerican archaeologist (1930–2021)
Questions
- What does the name Hershel mean?
- Hershel means “deer”, “buck” in Yiddish.
- What is the origin of the name Hershel?
- Borrowed from Yiddish הירשעל (hirshel), a diminutive of הירש (hirsh, “deer, buck”).
- How popular is the name Hershel?
- In 2025, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Hershel, ranking 5,137th. Its peak was 2009, with 6 births.
- Is Hershel a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 10,334 US babies named Hershel since 1880 were boys.
- When was Hershel most popular?
- 1924 in the United States, when 226 babies were named Hershel, its highest rank at 409th.
- What are other spellings of Hershel?
- Herschel.