Given name & surname
Herald
“the ruler of an army”
Herald is a variant of Harold. One Scandinavian interpretation is “the ruler of an army.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Herald is a variant of Harold. One Scandinavian interpretation is “the ruler of an army.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Herald is a variant of Harold. Harold has been associated with Old English and Old Norse naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1900. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Herald is a variant of Harold. The history of Harold gives this family its wider story. Harold experienced a revival in the 19th century.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Herald through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 990
- 990 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1926
- 38 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 6 in 2022. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 38 in 1926. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 707 as a first name in 2020; 3,860 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Herald, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Harald
“the ruler of an army”
>99% boys
Hershel
“resembling a deer”
>99% boys
Herbert
“an illustrious warrior”
>99% boys
Herschel
“resembling a deer”
>99% boys
Herman
“a soldier”
>99% boys
Harland
“an athletic woman” · “from the army”
95% boys · 5% girls
Elwin
“a friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Harmon
“a soldier”
91% boys · 9% girls