Boy · Greek
Hector
Say it: HEK-ter
Meaning
From Greek hektōr 'holding fast', from echein 'to hold'.
Likelythe main view, with some doubt.
Known in medieval Europe as one of the Nine Worthies; used in Scotland and widely in the Spanish-speaking world.
Its wave through time
Most used in the 2000s
In the United States
- 104,876 babies given this name since 1880
- At its height in 2005, about 1 in 812 boys
- 848 babies in 2020
Through the ages
- Ancient Greece800 BC to 146 BC
- The High and Late Middle Ages1100 to 1450
- The Renaissance1400 to 1600
- The Modern Age1880 to today
Used by
The family of the name
Other spellings: Héctor
| Greek | Ektor |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Héctor |
| French | Hector |
| Italian | Ettore |
Famous bearers
- Hector, Trojan prince in the Iliad
- Hector Berlioz, French composer
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- Ancient Greek literature and history (Homer, Herodotus, Plutarch and others)
- Well-known works of literature
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.