Herman is a classic male given name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German words 'her' meaning army and 'man' meaning man. It has been used throughout history and across various cultures, but its popularity has waned in recent years. The name Herman was brought to prominence by such notable figures as Herman Melville, the American author known for his novel "Moby-Dick," and Herman Kahn, an influential physicist who played a significant role in nuclear strategy during the Cold War. Despite its traditional roots, Herman remains a strong and distinguished name choice.
The name Herman experienced significant popularity fluctuations over the years, with a peak of 29 births in 1925 and a low of 5 births in several years, including 1949 and 1951. Overall, there were 795 births named Herman from 1891 to 1980.