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Home › Baby Names Directory › Hersel

Hersel

♂ Boy

Pronounced HUR-shul /ˈhɜr.ʃəl/Medium

Meaning: Hersel is a variant of Hershel or Herschel, a Yiddish name from hirsh, 'deer or stag,' with a diminutive ending, so 'little deer.' It relates to the German surname Herschel and served as a Yiddish equivalent to the Hebrew Naftali, whose blessing likens him to a swift deer.Low

In 30 seconds: Hersel is a variant of Hershel, a Yiddish name meaning 'little deer' or 'stag.' It peaked in the early nineteen-twenties (said HUR-shul).
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Origin LowYiddish, German
MeaningHersel is a variant of Hershel or Herschel, a Yiddish name from hirsh, 'deer or stag,' with a diminutive ending, so 'little deer.' It relates to the German surname Herschel and served as a Yiddish equivalent to the Hebrew Naftali, whose blessing likens him to a swift deer.
U.S. rank (1953)#3589 ↗ Rising
1953 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1921
Total births (all-time)≈ 197

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192119091953

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

Hersel is a spelling of Hershel or Herschel, a Yiddish name built from hirsh, 'deer or stag,' plus a fond diminutive, giving 'little deer.' Common among Ashkenazi Jewish families and tied by tradition to the Hebrew Naftali, it entered American records with Jewish immigration and appears in several spellings; the meaning stays with the deer root.

The spelling was always scarce, given to only a dozen or so boys a year around its peak near 1921, and it faded by mid-century. A boy named Hersel then would be a great-grandfather today.

Did you know? Hershel, the name behind Hersel, was often paired with the Hebrew Naftali, whose biblical blessing compares him to a deer let loose.
Overall data confidence 40%
References - Hersel — Variant of Hershel/Herschel (Yiddish hirsh, 'deer/stag', 'little deer')

Variations

HershelHerschelHirsch

Nicknames

HersHershHesh

Famous Bearers

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If you like Hersel…

Hershel— the standard name Hersel varies
Herschel— a like fuller spelling
Hyman— a similar vintage Jewish boy's name
Meyer— another Ashkenazi-rooted name of the era

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hersel mean?

It is a variant of Hershel, a Yiddish name from hirsh meaning 'deer' or 'stag,' so 'little deer.'

How do you pronounce Hersel?

It is said HUR-shul /ˈhɜr.ʃəl/, two syllables stressed on the first.

Is Hersel a boy or girl name?

Hersel is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Hersel?

It has always been rare in the United States, most visible in the early nineteen-twenties and scarce ever since.

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