Find out how popular the first name Heru has been for the last 26 years (from 1998 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Heru by gender

Based on the last 26 years of data, Heru is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 15 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Heru.

The history of the first name Heru

The name Heru has its origins in the ancient Egyptian language. It was the name of one of the most important deities in the Egyptian pantheon, the falcon-headed god of kingship and the sky. The name is derived from the Egyptian word "hr," which means "the one who is above" or "the one who is distant."

The name Heru was first recorded in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts dating back to around 3100 BCE. It was the name given to the falcon-headed god who was later merged with the sun god Ra to form the composite deity Ra-Herakhty. Heru was depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon's head, representing the celestial and divine aspects of kingship.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Heru was the son of Osiris and Isis, and he was engaged in a eternal struggle against his uncle Seth, who had killed Osiris and usurped the throne. The myth of Heru's triumph over Seth symbolized the victory of order over chaos and the legitimate succession of kingship.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Heru can be found in the Pyramid Texts, which were inscribed on the walls of the pyramids of ancient Egyptian kings during the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BCE). These texts contain spells and incantations that were intended to aid the deceased pharaoh in their journey to the afterlife.

Throughout Egyptian history, several pharaohs bore the name Heru, including Heru-em-akhet (c. 2000 BCE), Heru-khuf (c. 2600 BCE), and Heru-hor (c. 1080 BCE). Additionally, the name was popular among commoners and was often combined with other elements to form compound names, such as Heru-neter (meaning "Heru is a god") and Heru-sa-Aset (meaning "Heru, son of Isis").

Other notable historical figures with the name Heru include Heru-pa-khred (c. 2200 BCE), a powerful nomarch (provincial governor) during the Old Kingdom, and Heru-em-heb (c. 1350 BCE), a prominent military leader and pharaoh during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Heru was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Heru, please contact us.

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