Herman Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: HER-muhn //ˈhɜːrmən//
Origin: German; Dutch
Meaning: German: army man; Dutch: warrior
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Herman has its roots in the Germanic languages, derived from the Old High German name "Hermann," which is composed of the elements "heri," meaning "army," and "man," meaning "man" or "warrior." This etymology reflects a martial connotation, suggesting a meaning akin to "warrior of the army." The name made its way into English through the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, where it was introduced as a result of the influence of Old French forms, which were derived from the same Germanic roots. Historically, the name Herman has been borne by various notable figures, including the 1st-century Roman general Arminius, known in German as Hermann, who famously led a coalition of Germanic tribes against the Romans in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD.
This event is often viewed as a pivotal moment in the history of Germanic resistance against Roman expansion. Additionally, the name appears in various medieval texts and was borne by saints, contributing to its recognition in Christian contexts.
The name was also present in the works of early translators of the Bible, including the King James Bible in the early 17th century, where it may have appeared in various forms. Culturally, the name Herman has been associated with strength and valor, resonating with the ideals of chivalry and nobility in medieval Europe.
It has appeared in literature and folklore, often symbolizing a heroic figure or a leader. The name has various diminutive forms, such as Herm or Hermie, which have been used in different cultures, though these are less prominent in historical texts.
Overall, the name Herman carries a legacy of martial significance and cultural resonance that has allowed it to endure through centuries.
Famous people named Herman
In this section, you will find notable people named Herman. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Herman who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Herman who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Herman Melville is an author best known for Moby-Dick, Typee, and Billy Budd.
Herman Hesse is an author best known for Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game.
Herman Cain is a businessman best known for his role as CEO of Godfather's Pizza and his presidential campaign.
Herman Wouk is an author best known for The Caine Mutiny, Marjorie Morningstar, and Winds of War.
Herman Munster is a fictional character best known as the father in the television series The Munsters.
Fictional characters named Herman
The following list of fictional characters named Herman is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Herman Munster is a fictional character from the TV series The Munsters. He is the bumbling but lovable patriarch of the Munster family, known for his gentle nature and humorous antics.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Herman, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Herman. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Herman was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Herman has ranked as high as #154 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Louisiana.
In the past 5 years the name Herman has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Herman is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Herman was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Herman (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 8 | |
| NY | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Herman.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 50 |
| 2023 | 60 |
| 2022 | 51 |
| 2021 | 45 |
| 2020 | 55 |
| 2019 | 73 |
| 2018 | 64 |
| 2017 | 55 |
| 2016 | 83 |
| 2015 | 91 |
| 2014 | 73 |
| 2013 | 80 |
| 2012 | 65 |
| 2011 | 89 |
| 2010 | 76 |
| 2009 | 94 |
| 2008 | 101 |
| 2007 | 95 |
| 2006 | 102 |
| 2005 | 107 |
| 2004 | 120 |
| 2003 | 117 |
| 2002 | 115 |
| 2001 | 121 |
| 2000 | 129 |
| 1999 | 146 |
| 1998 | 151 |
| 1997 | 164 |
| 1996 | 184 |
| 1995 | 174 |
| 1994 | 191 |
| 1993 | 207 |
| 1992 | 219 |
| 1991 | 269 |
| 1990 | 252 |
| 1989 | 294 |
| 1988 | 277 |
| 1987 | 282 |
| 1986 | 276 |
| 1985 | 309 |
| 1984 | 277 |
| 1983 | 352 |
| 1982 | 360 |
| 1981 | 330 |
| 1980 | 367 |
| 1979 | 409 |
| 1978 | 382 |
| 1977 | 414 |
| 1976 | 435 |
| 1975 | 457 |
| 1974 | 454 |
| 1973 | 496 |
| 1972 | 550 |
| 1971 | 548 |
| 1970 | 616 |
| 1969 | 667 |
| 1968 | 663 |
| 1967 | 663 |
| 1966 | 754 |
| 1965 | 795 |
| 1964 | 915 |
| 1963 | 843 |
| 1962 | 999 |
| 1961 | 1,011 |
| 1960 | 1,049 |
| 1959 | 1,188 |
| 1958 | 1,212 |
| 1957 | 1,317 |
| 1956 | 1,326 |
| 1955 | 1,360 |
| 1954 | 1,416 |
| 1953 | 1,411 |
| 1952 | 1,497 |
| 1951 | 1,542 |
| 1950 | 1,564 |
| 1949 | 1,613 |
| 1948 | 1,837 |
| 1947 | 1,795 |
| 1946 | 1,590 |
| 1945 | 1,417 |
| 1944 | 1,641 |
| 1943 | 1,727 |
| 1942 | 1,787 |
| 1941 | 1,779 |
| 1940 | 1,670 |
| 1939 | 1,800 |
| 1938 | 1,900 |
| 1937 | 1,875 |
| 1936 | 1,816 |
| 1935 | 1,920 |
| 1934 | 2,011 |
| 1933 | 1,945 |
| 1932 | 2,191 |
| 1931 | 2,263 |
| 1930 | 2,598 |
| 1929 | 2,622 |
| 1928 | 2,588 |
| 1927 | 2,856 |
| 1926 | 2,798 |
| 1925 | 2,890 |
| 1924 | 2,954 |
| 1923 | 2,961 |
| 1922 | 3,014 |
| 1921 | 3,219 |
| 1920 | 3,109 |
| 1919 | 3,027 |
| 1918 | 3,041 |
| 1917 | 2,974 |
| 1916 | 3,043 |
| 1915 | 2,983 |
| 1914 | 2,430 |
| 1913 | 1,905 |
| 1912 | 1,646 |
| 1911 | 853 |
| 1910 | 696 |
| 1909 | 618 |
| 1908 | 562 |
| 1907 | 561 |
| 1906 | 502 |
| 1905 | 475 |
| 1904 | 497 |
| 1903 | 449 |
| 1902 | 457 |
| 1901 | 393 |
| 1900 | 550 |
| 1899 | 413 |
| 1898 | 467 |
| 1897 | 412 |
| 1896 | 427 |
| 1895 | 439 |
| 1894 | 433 |
| 1893 | 455 |
| 1892 | 421 |
| 1891 | 383 |
| 1890 | 382 |
| 1889 | 405 |
| 1888 | 403 |
| 1887 | 394 |
| 1886 | 418 |
| 1885 | 326 |
| 1884 | 385 |
| 1883 | 359 |
| 1882 | 348 |
| 1881 | 304 |
| 1880 | 347 |