Herschel
A boys’ name of Yiddish origin, meaning little deer; from hebrew ayyal.
Babies a year
22
the US, 2017
Rarity
Very rare
among names in use
US popularity
—
outside the top 1000
UK popularity
—
outside the ONS list
Herschel by the numbers
Herschel was given to 22 American babies in 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
Its American peak was 277 babies in 1921, so it is a 1920s name that has since fallen a long way.
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Herschel. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Other names that mean a deer
Like Herschel, each of these has a deer in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Oscardeer lover; God's spear2,798 in England and Wales (2025)
- Devindescendant of Damhán; fawn-like1,132 in the US (2017)
- Devynfawn-like; a modern respelling of Devin313 in the US (2017)
- Raleighdeer meadow or clearing235 in the US (2017)
- Osianlittle deer; a form of Oisín165 in England and Wales (2025)
- Hartleyhart meadow; deer clearing157 in the US (2017)
Names about as common as Herschel
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