Eschol
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "cluster of grapes".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Eschol. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Eschol today is around 96 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Eschol births was 1920 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Eschol. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Eschol is about 96 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Eschols were born before 1940.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Eschol. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1920
9 babies that year
Average age
96
years old
1943 SSA rank
#2,801
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Eschol: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Eschol from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 45 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eschol by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Eschol during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Eschols live
Origin
Meaning and history of Eschol
The name Eschol has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Biblical Hebrew word "eshkol," which means "a cluster of grapes" or "a bunch of fruit." This name is closely associated with the biblical accounts of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness and their exploration of the Promised Land.
One of the earliest and most notable references to the name Eschol can be found in the Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Bible. It is mentioned as the name of a valley near Hebron, where the Israelite spies gathered a large cluster of grapes as evidence of the land's fertility. This biblical account has contributed to the symbolic association of the name with abundance, fruitfulness, and the promise of a bountiful land.
Throughout history, several individuals have borne the name Eschol, though its usage has been relatively rare compared to other Hebrew names. One notable figure was Eschol the Ammonite (born circa 800 BCE), a military commander who served under King David of Israel, as mentioned in the Book of 2 Samuel.
Another historical figure with this name was Eschol ben Barachel (born circa 600 BCE), a wise man from the land of Uz, who was one of Job's friends in the Book of Job. His name is often interpreted as "cluster of the star," reflecting the association with celestial bodies and wisdom.
In the Middle Ages, there are records of a Jewish scholar named Eschol ben Abraham (born circa 1050 CE) who lived in Seville, Spain, and wrote commentaries on various Jewish texts. His name reflects the continued use of the name Eschol within Jewish communities.
During the Renaissance period, there was an Italian artist named Eschol Semitecolo (born circa 1450 CE) who was known for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures in churches and cathedrals throughout Italy. The name Eschol in this context may have been a reference to the biblical symbolism of fruitfulness and artistic creativity.
While not a common name in modern times, the name Eschol has endured throughout history, carrying with it the symbolic meaning of abundance, fertility, and the promise of a bountiful land. Its biblical origins and associations have contributed to its significance within various religious and cultural contexts.
People
Eschol + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Eschol as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Eschol: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Eschol?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Eschol going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Eschol a common name?
We classify Eschol as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 81 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Eschol most popular?
The single biggest year for Eschol was 1920, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Eschol is about 96 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Eschol in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Eschol a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Eschol in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Eschol still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Eschol in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Eschol can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Eschol as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.