Home › Baby Names Directory › Hershell

Hershell

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Hershell

Pronounced HUR-shul /ˈhɜːr.ʃəl/Medium

Meaning: Hershell is a spelling variant of Hershel/Herschel, from the Yiddish hirsh (German Hirsch), 'deer' or 'stag'; it was a common Ashkenazi Jewish name, often paired with the Hebrew Naftali, whose blessing likens him to a deer.Medium

In 30 seconds: Hershell is a variant of Hershel/Herschel, from Yiddish for 'deer' (said 'HUR-shul').

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumYiddish, German

MeaningHershell is a spelling variant of Hershel/Herschel, from the Yiddish hirsh (German Hirsch), 'deer' or 'stag'; it was a common Ashkenazi Jewish name, often paired with the Hebrew Naftali, whose blessing likens him to a deer.

U.S. rank (1994)#9353 ↘ Falling

1994 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1920

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,847

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

Hershell is a doubled-l spelling of Hershel or Herschel, a name from the Yiddish hirsh, 'deer'. Among Ashkenazi Jewish families it often stood alongside the Hebrew Naftali, whose biblical blessing compares him to a bounding deer, so the name carries that gentle animal image.

As a birth name it belonged to the early nineteen-hundreds, peaking around 1920 at a few dozen boys a year while Hershel and Herschel were more usual. It reads as a grandfather-era name and has stayed out of the recent revival.

Did you know? Hershell was an early-twentieth-century spelling, cresting around 1920 at only a few dozen boys a year before the standard forms prevailed.

Overall data confidence 62%

Behind the Name — Herschel — Yiddish 'deer'; Hershell variant

Variations

HershelHerschelHirsch

Nicknames

Hersh

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hershell…

Hershel— the standard spelling of the same name

Herschel— the fuller traditional form of the same root

Myron— a like early-1900s boy's name of the same milieu

Delbert— another vintage two-syllable boy's name of the era

Explore names like Hershell

By themerare vintage heritage

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Hershell mean?

Hershell is a spelling variant of Hershel or Herschel, from the Yiddish word for 'deer'.

How do you pronounce Hershell?

It's said HUR-shul /ˈhɜːr.ʃəl/ — two syllables.

Is Hershell a boy or girl name?

Hershell is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Hershell?

Hershell was always uncommon — an early-twentieth-century spelling that the standard forms overtook.