Heysel
A feminine name derived from the Dutch word "heysel," meaning a meadow or pasture.
Name Census estimates that about 46 living Americans carry the first name Heysel. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Heysel today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Heysel births was 2022 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Heysel. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Heysel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
46
~ 1 in 7,451,181 Americans
Peak year
2022
12 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,791
Tracked since 2015
Popularity
Heysel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Heysel from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 41 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Heysel 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 Heysel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Heysel
The name Heysel is believed to have originated in the Germanic languages, specifically in the Old High German tongue spoken in central Europe during the medieval period. The name's roots can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "haidaz," which means "heather" or "heath." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near heather-covered lands or derived their livelihood from regions abundant in this type of vegetation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Heysel can be found in the Codex Aureus, a 9th-century illuminated manuscript containing the Gospels in Carolingian minuscule script. In this text, the name appears as "Heidisil," reflecting the linguistic evolution from its Proto-Germanic origins.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Heysel remained relatively uncommon, but a few notable individuals bore this moniker. One such figure was Heysel von Hammerstein, a 13th-century German noblewoman and landowner in the Rhineland region. Records indicate that she inherited substantial properties and played a significant role in local affairs during her lifetime (c. 1210–1278).
As the name spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and forms, such as "Haisel," "Heyzel," and "Heizele." In the 15th century, a Bavarian nun named Heysel Pichler (c. 1430–1498) gained recognition for her pious devotion and charitable works within her religious order.
During the Reformation era, the name Heysel surfaced in several historical accounts. One notable bearer was Heysel Knöringer (1491–1567), a German Protestant reformer and theologian who actively participated in the religious debates of the time.
In the realm of literature, the name gained prominence through the works of the 17th-century Dutch poet and playwright, Joost van den Vondel. His play "Gijsbrecht van Aemstel" featured a character named Heysel, who played a pivotal role in the storyline.
Moving into the modern era, the name Heysel has remained relatively uncommon, but a few individuals have carried it forward. One such figure was Heysel Keppel (1876–1942), a British artist and illustrator known for her contributions to children's literature in the early 20th century.
While the name Heysel has maintained a niche presence throughout history, its origins and evolution reflect the rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped the various languages and naming traditions across Europe and beyond.
People
Heysel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Heysel 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
Heysel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Heysel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 46 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Heysel 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 7,451,181 US residents.
Is Heysel a common name?
We classify Heysel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 46 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Heysel most popular?
The single biggest year for Heysel was 2022, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Heysel is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Heysel a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Heysel in the SSA data are female. 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.