Hector
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Hector
Previously used primarily by Latino families, this name of the great hero of the Trojan War is beginning to be considered more seriously by others seeking noble ancient hero names as well. Currently in the US and UK Top 500, the French Top 200, and the Spanish Top 100, it is pronounced as HEHK-tuhr in English, EHK-TAWR in French, and EHK-tor in Spanish.
Derived from the Greek Hektor, it has the sturdy meaning of "holding fast", suggestive of endurance and strength, making it appealing in the same way as Alexander or Victor. It appears in Greek mythology, a Trojan war hero, killed by Achilles for killing Patroclus. It additionally appears in Arthurian legend as the name of the knight who raised King Arthur as his own son.
In addition to being used for many contemporary Hispanic movie and TV characters, other Hectors appeared in such films as Mystic Pizza and Lars and the Real Girl. In literature, you can find Hectors in Thackeray's Vanity Fair, Balzac's Cousin Bette and Alan Bennet's The History Boys.
Some notable real-life Hectors: composer Berlioz and actor Elizando.
Hector is also given to girls.
Pronounced HEK-ter.
As of October 2026, Hector ranked #409 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #156 in 1992, Nameberry popularity #459.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #292 | 1,213 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #303 | 1,194 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #319 | 1,100 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #318 | 1,074 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #331 | 1,012 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #341 | 985 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #365 | 856 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #362 | 899 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #355 | 927 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #384 | 831 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #380 | 858 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #409 | 779 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Hector.
Hector on lists
Famous Hectors
- Hector BerliozBoy
French composer
- Hector LavoeBoy
Puerto Rican salsa singer
- Hector Hugh Munro aka SakiBoy
British short,story writer
- Héctor ElizondoBoy
American actor
- Héctor BarberáBoy
Spanish motorcycle racer
- Héctor GarzaBoy
Mexican pro wrestler
- Héctor FaubelBoy
Spanish motorcycle racer
- Héctor Delgado RománBoy
Puerto Rican reggaeton singer
- Hector BoeceBoy
Scottish philosopher
- Héctor CamachoBoy
Puerto Rican boxer
- Héctor BellerinBoy
Spanish Football Player for Arsenal
Hector in pop culture
- Hector BarbossaBoy
"Pirates of the Caribbean" series
- HectorBoy
son of Priam in Greek mythology
- Hector of the MistBoy
outlaw in The Legend of Montrose (1819) by Sir Walter Scott
- HectorBoy
slave to Gabriel Harrison in William Gilmore Simms's novel The Yemassee (1835)
- Hector MaddenBoy
character in television series "The Hour"
- "Hector was the First of the Gang to DieBoy
" song by Morrissey
- Hector "Tio" SalamancaBoy
character on TV's "Breaking Bad"
- Hector Rex VonnerBoy
character in book/movie "A Time to Kill"
- Hector CruzBoy
character in movie "Entrapment"
- Hector CampbellBoy
main character in G. A. Henty's, Won by the Sword
- Hector BittermouseBoy
character in Jenny Nimmo's "The Children of the Red King" series
- Hector ZeroniBoy
character in the book/movie "Holes"
- Hector JamesBoy
character in the 'Switchpaw Saga' book series
- Hector "Hec" FaulknerBoy
character in "Hunt for the Wilderpeople"
- Hector HammondBoy
character in DC Universe
- HectorBoy
nicknamed "Heck," a character from the film "Imagine Me and You"
- Hector RomeroBoy
character in the TV series "extr@"
- HectorBoy
character in Pixar's "Coco"
- HectorBoy
character in video game Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade