The name Hershey, derived from an English surname meaning 'archer' or 'hare meadow', originated as a medieval occupational name for an archer or someone who lived near a meadow where hares were kept. It is of Old English origin and was first brought to America by early English settlers. The city of Hershey in Pennsylvania, famous for the chocolate manufacturer Hershey's, was founded by Milton Snavely Hershey in 1905.
The name Hershey has seen a notable resurgence in recent years, with 2022 seeing the highest number of births since records began. The peak decades for this name were the 1940s and 1950s, with nine births each in 1941 and 1954 respectively. However, from the 1960s onwards, there was a significant decline in popularity until it reached an all-time low of zero births between 1983 and 2021.