Hersh
One who delights in happiness and joy.
Name Census estimates that about 825 living Americans carry the first name Hersh. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hersh today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hersh births was 2024 (44 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hersh. 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.
People living today
825
~ 1 in 415,460 Americans
Peak year
2024
44 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,882
Tracked since 1959
Popularity
Hersh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hersh from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 249 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Hersh remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hersh 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 Hersh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hershs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hersh
The name Hersh has its roots in the Yiddish language, which is a dialect of German spoken by Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern and Central Europe. The name is derived from the German word "Hirsch," which means "deer" or "stag." It is believed to have originated as a surname or a nickname, possibly referring to someone who had deer-like qualities, such as swiftness or grace.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hersh can be traced back to the 16th century, when it appeared in various Jewish communities across Europe. It was often used as a diminutive form of the longer name "Hirschel" or "Hirschel," which was a common Jewish name during that time.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Hersh gained popularity among Jewish families, particularly in Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. It was often given to newborn boys as a way to honor their ancestors or to express a connection to their cultural heritage.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Hersh. One of the most famous was Hersh Leyb Mordkhe, a Yiddish writer and scholar who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was known for his contributions to Yiddish literature and his efforts to preserve Jewish culture and traditions.
Another prominent figure with the name Hersh was Hersh Davidovich Mendel, a Russian-born American engineer and inventor who lived from 1868 to 1936. He is credited with developing several important innovations in the field of electrical engineering, including the first successful high-voltage direct current transmission system.
In the 20th century, Hersh Wolynski was a Polish-born Canadian painter and sculptor who gained recognition for his abstract expressionist works. He was born in 1908 and lived until 1986, leaving a lasting impact on the Canadian art scene.
Hersh Waten, an Australian writer and literary critic, was also a notable figure in the mid-20th century. Born in 1912 and lived until 1993, he was a prominent voice in the Australian Jewish community and contributed significantly to the country's literary landscape.
Finally, Hersh Rubinstein, a South African businessman and philanthropist, was another influential figure with the name Hersh. Born in 1927, he made significant contributions to various charitable causes, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare.
People
Hersh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hersh 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
Hersh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hersh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 825 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hersh 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 415,460 US residents.
Is Hersh a common name?
We classify Hersh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 839 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hersh most popular?
The single biggest year for Hersh was 2024, when 44 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hersh is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hersh a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hersh 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.