Hershel is a Yiddish diminutive of Hirsh, itself meaning "deer" in Yiddish. The name is closely related to the Hebrew name Tzvi ("gazelle, roebuck"), as both animals are symbolically associated with the tribe of Naphtali (see Genesis 49:21). The root name Naphtali means "my struggle" in Hebrew, from a word for wrestling. Among Ashkenazi Jews, the use of animal names like Hirsh (deer) and its diminutive Hershel was common, partly as a vernacular substitute for Tzvi. The name Hershel or its variant Herschel gained non-Jewish popularity in the United States around the late 19th century, likely inspired by the German surname Herschel. This surname is most famously borne by the German-British astronomer William Herschel (1738–1822), discoverer of the planet Uranus. According to Wikipedia, notable bearers include Herschel Vespasian Johnson (1812–1880), an American politician from Georgia, and C. Herschel Schooley (1900–1985), an American newspaper editor. Other figures include explorer Benjamin Herschel Babbage, who cartographed South Australia. Cognates of Hershel include the Yiddish forms Herschel and Hirshel. While Herschel is common as both a given name and surname, the diminutive Hershel is predominantly associated with Ashkenazi Jewish families. Meaning: Deer (Yiddish), diminutive of Hirsh Origin: Yiddish Root: Hirsh → Tzvi → Naphtali Usage: Jewish (Ashkenazi) and occasionally non-Jewish American inspired by surname