Herman
From Old English here (“army”) + man (“man”) It was revived in the 19th century, partly due to American immigrants from continental Europe where the name has been more…
Every Herman since 1880 — 136,772 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Herman
Herman is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,368 in 2025 with 58 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 136,772 American babies have been named Herman. Its peak came in 1921, when 3,239 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Herman stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Herman year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 58 | #2,368 |
| 2024 | — | — | 50 | #2,648 |
| 2023 | — | — | 60 | #2,330 |
| 2022 | — | — | 51 | #2,630 |
| 2021 | — | — | 46 | #2,748 |
| 2020 | — | — | 56 | #2,375 |
| 2019 | — | — | 73 | #2,007 |
| 2018 | — | — | 64 | #2,179 |
| 2017 | — | — | 56 | #2,329 |
| 2016 | — | — | 83 | #1,819 |
| 2015 | — | — | 91 | #1,708 |
| 2014 | — | — | 73 | #1,968 |
| 2013 | — | — | 80 | #1,801 |
| 2012 | — | — | 65 | #2,096 |
| 2011 | — | — | 89 | #1,680 |
| 2010 | — | — | 76 | #1,888 |
| 2009 | — | — | 94 | #1,675 |
| 2008 | — | — | 101 | #1,575 |
| 2007 | — | — | 95 | #1,627 |
| 2006 | — | — | 102 | #1,493 |
| 2005 | — | — | 109 | #1,377 |
| 2004 | — | — | 120 | #1,261 |
| 2003 | — | — | 117 | #1,237 |
| 2002 | — | — | 115 | #1,207 |
| 2001 | — | — | 121 | #1,148 |
| 2000 | — | — | 129 | #1,092 |
| 1995 | — | — | 174 | #812 |
| 1990 | — | — | 252 | #636 |
| 1985 | — | — | 309 | #495 |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,497 | 367 | #428 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,729 | 457 | #360 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,585 | 616 | #317 |
| 1965 | 9 | #4,618 | 795 | #262 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,005 | 1,050 | #246 |
| 1955 | 7 | #4,897 | 1,360 | #194 |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,523 | 1,564 | #159 |
| 1945 | 13 | #2,518 | 1,417 | #146 |
| 1940 | 13 | #2,348 | 1,670 | #113 |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,631 | 1,920 | #101 |
| 1930 | 26 | #1,549 | 2,598 | #78 |
| 1925 | 29 | #1,550 | 2,890 | #69 |
| 1920 | 20 | #1,982 | 3,109 | #66 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,605 | 2,983 | #56 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,263 | 696 | #52 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,068 | 475 | #51 |
| 1900 | — | — | 550 | #49 |
| 1895 | — | — | 439 | #49 |
| 1890 | — | — | 382 | #50 |
| 1885 | — | — | 326 | #55 |
| 1880 | — | — | 347 | #48 |
Famous people named Herman
- Herman Melville Writer · 1819–1891
- Herman Hollerith Inventor · 1860–1929
- Herman Van Rompuy Politician · b. 1947
- Herman Boerhaave Biologist · 1668–1738
- Herman VI, Margrave of Baden Politician · 1226–1250
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Herman mean?
From Old English here (“army”) + man (“man”) It was revived in the 19th century, partly due to American immigrants from continental Europe where the name has been more popular.
How popular is the name Herman in 2025?
Herman ranked #2,368 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 58 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Herman?
136,772 babies have been named Herman in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Herman most popular?
Herman peaked in 1921, when 3,239 newborns received the name.
Is Herman a boy or girl name?
Herman is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Herman rising or falling?
Herman is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Herman?
Well-known people named Herman include Herman Melville (writer), Herman Hollerith (inventor), Herman Van Rompuy (politician).