The name Herman has its origins in the Germanic languages, derived from the Old High German words "heri" meaning army and "man" meaning man. It was originally a compound name that translates to "army man" or "warrior." The name can be traced back to the 9th century AD, during the Middle Ages in central and western Europe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Herman appears in the Annales Fuldenses, a medieval chronicle written in the 9th century, which mentions a Herman who was a count in the Franconian region of present-day Germany. Another early reference is found in the writings of the Venerable Bede, an English monk and scholar from the 7th-8th century, who recorded the name as "Hereman" in his work Ecclesiastical History of the English People.

Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the name Herman was relatively common among German and Dutch nobility and clergy. One notable figure was Herman of Reichenau, a Benedictine monk and scholar who lived from around 1013 to 1054 and was known for his contributions to music theory and astronomy.

In the 16th century, Herman Finck, a German composer and music theorist, was an influential figure in the development of polyphonic music. He was born around 1527 and died in 1588. Around the same time, Herman van Rennenberg, a Dutch noble and military leader, played a significant role in the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule, living from 1545 to 1609.

During the 19th century, the name gained popularity in the United States, partly due to the influence of German and Dutch immigrants. One of the most famous Americans with the name was Herman Melville, the author of the classic novel Moby Dick, who was born in 1819 and died in 1891.

Another notable figure was Herman Hollerith, an American statistician and inventor who was born in 1860 and died in 1929. He is credited with developing the first punch card system, which laid the foundation for modern data processing and computing.