Boy · Greek, through Latin
Hercules
Say it: HER-kyuh-leez
Meaning
Latin form of Greek Hēraklēs, likely from Hēra and kleos 'glory'.
Likelythe main view, with some doubt.
Used as Ercole by the Este dukes of Ferrara and as Iraklis in modern Greece.
Its wave through time
Rare in the records
In the United States
- 1,213 babies given this name since 1908
- At its height in 1928, about 1 in 38,200 boys
- 12 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
The family of the name
Other spellings: Herakles
| Greek | Iraklis |
|---|---|
| Italian | Ercole |
| French | Hercule |
| Spanish | Hércules |
Famous bearers
- Herakles, Greek hero
- Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- Ancient Greek literature and history (Homer, Herodotus, Plutarch and others)
- Royal and noble genealogies
- 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.