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Herndon
How to Pronounce Herndon
Pronounced HERN-don /ˈhɜrn.dən/Medium
Meaning: Herndon is an English place and family name later used as a first name. Its elements are usually read as heron and dun, a hill, or a similar landscape term, so a hill or spot frequented by herons. It carries a settled, surname feel rather than a personal meaning.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Herndon is a transferred English surname drawn from a place name, its parts pointing to herons and a hill or down. Carried to America and used as a first name, it appealed to families who liked dignified, place-rooted surnames for a boy, though it never became widespread.
Herndon was always uncommon as a first name, given to only about twenty boys a year at its faint peak in the early nineteen-twenties and fading by mid-century. A boy named Herndon then would be gone or very elderly today.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Herndon mean?
It is a transferred English surname from a place name, likely meaning a heron hill or valley.
How do you pronounce Herndon?
It is said HERN-don /ˈhɜrn.dən/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Herndon a boy or girl name?
Herndon is used here as a boy's name.
How popular is Herndon?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the early nineteen-twenties.