Given name & surname
Hercules
“glory of Hera”
Hercules is used as a given name and a surname. One Greek interpretation is “glory of Hera.”
Original Ancient GreekἩρακλῆς
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Greek interpretation is “glory of Hera.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
How it developed
In English usage, Hercules developed from Ἡρακλῆς.
The story
In mythological stories, Hercules is associated with a son of Zeus.
Hercules through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,320
- 1,320 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 30 babies
- 2025
- 20
- #4,921 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +36%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 20 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,921 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 35.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 791 as a first name in 2020; 2,748 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.
Hercules’s family of names
In English usage, Hercules has a diminutive in HERC. Hercules has a later derivative in Ercole. In English usage, Hercules has a conventional equivalent in the Welsh form Ercwlff.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Hercules has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
Ancient Greekwhere Hercules comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Hercules
- Hercules SeghersDutch painter and engraver (c.1589-c.1638)
- Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead5th Governor of Hong Kong (1824-1897)
- Hercules Mulligantailor and spy during the American Revolutionary War1740–1825
- Hercules Poseyenslaved African cook held at Mount Vernon1748–1812
- Hercules CortezSpanish professional wrestler1932–1971
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Hercules, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Hades
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