Herald

The name Herald is a variant of Herold and has its roots in the old German name Herwald. It translates to 'the one who commands in the army', 'the army leader', or 'the herald on horseback', indicating a role between the military and the court.

What does the name Herald mean?

Herald is a masculine form of the name derived from Herold and traces back to the old German name Herwald. Its translation is 'the one who commands in the army', 'the army leader', or 'the herald on horseback'. The roots of the two-part name lie in Old High German, taken from the components hari or heri, which mean 'the army', 'the war band', 'the army leader', or 'the warrior', and waltan, which means 'to command', 'to govern', 'to rule', or 'the ruler'. This first name has been widespread in varied forms in German naming for many centuries. Additionally, it is frequently used in Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian regions, especially among nobility and rulers. Other variants include Harald, Haraldur, Harold, Haroldus, Haroldas, Haroldo, and Aroldo. The feminine counterpart is Haralda.

Where does the name Herald come from?

The name Herald has Old High German roots and means 'the one who commands in the army'.

How do you pronounce Herald?

Herald is pronounced in two syllables as 'He-rald' [ˈheːʁalt]. The long 'e' sound ensures a clear beginning of the name, while the rolled or aspirated 'r' creates a special resonance. The strong '-ald' at the end gives the name weight and expression. Thus, Herald appears tradition-conscious and stable – dignified, steadfast, and clearly defined.

When is the name day of Herald?

Herald is celebrated on the name days of June 27, September 1, and November 1.

Popularity

In Germany, Herald is a rather rare name. In 2018, it ranked 3,918th on the list of the most common male names. In the last ten years, Herald has been given as a first name fewer than 10 times, placing it at 8,008th in the ten-year statistics. For the period from 2010 to 2024, it stands at rank 9,767. Information on the global popularity and rankings of Herald in other countries is also available.

Famous people

• Herald Marku (football player from Albania)