Hermon
A masculine name of ancient Semitic origin meaning "lofty peak" or "sacred mountain".
Name Census estimates that about 1,144 living Americans carry the first name Hermon. It is a predominantly male name (98.0% of registrations). The average person named Hermon today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hermon births was 1920 (114 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hermon. 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
- • Although Hermon is used almost entirely for boys, the SSA data does show 79 girls registered with the name since 1880.
- • The typical person named Hermon is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Hermons were born before 1967.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 299,610 Americans
Peak year
1920
114 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
2018 SSA rank
#7,711
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Hermon
Hermon leans heavily male at 98.0% of total registrations, but 79 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Hermon as a male name
- Ranked #11,292 in 2018
- 6 male births in 2018
- Peak: 1920 (114 births)
Hermon as a female name
- Ranked #7,711 in 2024
- 14 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (14 births)
Popularity
Hermon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hermon from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 970 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
Hermon 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 Hermon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hermons live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama recorded the most babies named Hermon, while West Virginia, Florida, Oklahoma recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 156 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hermon
The name Hermon is derived from the Hebrew word "harmon," which means "sanctuary" or "sacred enclosure." It has its roots in ancient Semitic languages and cultures of the Middle East, dating back to biblical times.
The name is closely associated with Mount Hermon, a prominent mountain located on the border between Lebanon and Syria. Mount Hermon is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, including in the Book of Deuteronomy, where it is described as the northernmost point of the Promised Land given to the Israelites by God.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Hermon can be found in the Book of Joshua, where it is mentioned as the territory allotted to the tribe of Manasseh. In the Book of Psalms, Mount Hermon is praised for its majestic beauty and is described as a source of dew and refreshment.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Hermon. One of the earliest was Hermon of Jerusalem, a Christian martyr who lived in the 2nd century AD and was executed for his faith during the reign of Emperor Trajan.
Another significant figure was Hermon of Reichenau (1013-1054), a Benedictine monk and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of mathematics, astronomy, and music theory. His works influenced the development of medieval European education and culture.
In the 17th century, Hermon Courtney (1592-1662) was an English Puritan clergyman and member of the Westminster Assembly, which produced the Westminster Confession of Faith, a significant document in the history of Protestantism.
The name Hermon also gained prominence in the United States during the 19th century. Hermon Griswold Pumpelly (1819-1866) was an American missionary who served in China and made significant contributions to the translation of the Bible into the Chinese language.
Another notable American was Hermon Atkins MacNeil (1866-1947), a sculptor best known for his work on the ornamental sculptures adorning the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C., and the sculptures on the exterior of the Supreme Court Building.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have borne the name Hermon, reflecting its long-standing presence in various cultures and its association with religious, scholarly, and artistic endeavors.
People
Hermon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hermon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hermon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hermon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,144 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hermon 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 299,610 US residents.
Is Hermon a common name?
We classify Hermon as "Rare". It ranks above 90.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 4,045 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hermon most popular?
The single biggest year for Hermon was 1920, when 114 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hermon is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hermon a male name?
Yes, 98.0% of people registered as Hermon 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.
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.