Home › Baby Names Directory › Hershy

Hershy

♂ Boy

Pronounced HEHR-shih /ˈhɛr.ʃɪ/Low

Meaning: Pet form of Hersh/Hershel, from Yiddish hersh meaning deer or stag.Low

In 30 seconds: Hershy is a Yiddish boy's name, a pet form of Hersh or Hershel meaning 'deer' or 'stag'.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowYiddish, Hebrew

MeaningPet form of Hersh/Hershel, from Yiddish hersh meaning deer or stag.

U.S. rank (2024)#2138 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births69 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,059

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

The name is an affectionate short form built from the Yiddish word hersh, meaning a deer or stag. It belongs to the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition, where the deer is a long-standing symbol, and it has the warm, familiar tone of a name used at home. As a pet form, it stays casual and tender rather than formal.

Its -y ending gives it a friendly, diminutive ring, much like the way Hershel softens into everyday speech.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Hershy is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 55%

Behind the Name - Hershy — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

—

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hershy…

Hershel— The fuller name that Hershy is a pet form of.

Hersh— The base Yiddish name meaning deer, behind Hershy.

Tzvi— The Hebrew name for deer, the traditional partner to Yiddish Hersh.

Harun— another Hebrew name

Hashem— lands in the same popularity range

Frequently Asked

What does the name Hershy mean?

Hershy is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Uncertain tradition.

How do you pronounce Hershy?

It's commonly said HEHR-shih /ˈhɛr.ʃɪ/.

Is Hershy a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Hershy is used as a boy name.

How popular is Hershy?

In 2024, Hershy ranked #2138 in the U.S. for boys, with 69 births recorded.