"Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules,
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these."
(The British Grenadiers)
Origin: |
Hector is the Latin spelling of the Ancient Greek name Hektor, traditionally given to the heroic warrior of Troy in Homer's Iliad; the elder brother of Paris and son of King Priam. As with many characters in Greek myth, Hector's name was highly appropriate to his persona and storyline. It derives from the Greek ‘εκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast," taken from the route word ἔχω (echo) "to hold, to have, to keep." In The Iliad therefore, Hector is the steadfast and virtuous commander of the Trojan army, with a strong sense of duty to his people, whom Homer describes with the words 'glorious', 'mighty', 'handsome', 'bold' and 'brave'. Hektor was also one of Zeus' many many epithets, most likely with the sense of "he who holds all." In Scotland, Hector has long been used as an Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Eachann (Echdonn). Eachann itself is most likely derived from the Gaelic each "horse" and donn "brown," though it is possibly a rendering of the Old Norse name Hákon. |
Usage: |
That Hector of Troy was considered an important heroic figure can be seen in the name's permeation through European culture. During the Middle Ages, Hector himself was notably counted among the "Nine Worthies" — the personifications of chivalry, valour and virtue — which also included Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, King Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon, Joshua, David and Judas Maccabeus. The Nine Worthies became a popular theme in medieval literature and art throughout France, Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy, and so too spread the names. Hector, or Ector, also appears twice as a name in Arthurian legend: Arthur's foster-father, Sir Ector, and the half-brother of Lancelot and fellow knight, Hector de Maris. Like most notable namesakes, Hector of Troy's fame translated into use as a first name in Britain. It was certainly used enough to establish Hector as a surname both in Britain and across Europe. In England, Hector has always been used quite sparingly; in Scotland, however, Hector has had much more prominent usage since the Middle Ages. Undoubtedly the original use can be attributed to the fame of Hector of Troy but it was further boosted once Hector became used to render the Gaelic name Eachann. Hector Boece, a 5th century academic, was an early notable Scottish namesake, and the name was used by several prominent Scottish clans such as the Mackenzies and Munros. Indeed, the first ship bringing Scottish settlers to Novia Scotia in 1773 was even named "The Hector." The 1841 UK census records 2,137 Hectors (89% living in Scotland, 9% in England, 2% in Wales). There were 1,924 in 1861 (83% in Scotland, 14% in England, 3% in Wales) and 2,914 in 1881 (70% in Scotland, 28% in England, 2% in Wales), which had risen to 5,948 in 1901 (45% in Scotland, 51% in England, 3% in Wales). In 1880, Hector ranked #209 in England and Wales, and was only slightly more popular at #202 in 1890. Ten years later, however, the name was in favour, reaching #42 in 1900 and still at #89 by 1904. The reason for this sudden surge was all thanks to Major-General Sir Hector MacDonald — a notable Scottish soldier who was knighted for his efforts in the Second Boer War — a fact we can clearly see from the many boys who were given "Hector MacDonald" as their first names. Despite ranking at #42 in England and Wales and #25 in Scotland in 1900, by the mid-20th century Hector was well below the Top 100 across the UK. In the last fifteen years, Hector has been steadily rising in usage in England and Wales. In 1996 the name ranked #573 (29 births), had risen to #421 (51 births) in 2001, #411 (81 births) in 2006 and #386 (103 births) in 2010. In 2011 Hector ranked #321 with 138 births. Similarly, in Scotland Hector ranked #361 (6 births) in 2006, #292 (12 births) in 2009 and #392 (8 births) in 2012. In 2012, Hector was the 14th most popular name in the Telegraph and the 20th most popular name in the Times. |
Famous Bearers: |
History: * Hector Boece (c. 465–536), Scottish historian, famous for writing the Historia Gentis Scotorum (History of the Scottish People). Contemporary: * Héctor Elizondo (b. 1936), American actor. Literature and Media: * Hector Hall, a superhero in the DC Comics. Other: * The Hector was the ship that brought first Scottish settlers to Novia Scotia. |
Variants: |
Ector (Arthurian), Héctor (Spanish), Hèctor (Catalan), Ettore (Italian), Heitor (Portuguese), Hektor (German, Danish, Finnish, Swedish), Ektor (Greek) |
Pronunciation: |
HEK-tə [key] |
Possible Diminutives: |
Heck, Heckie, Toro |
Sibling Names: |
Penelope Arabella Margot Violet Clementine Miranda |
Name Lists: |
Vintage Names Upright Elegance Demi-Gods and Mortals of Mythology Shakespearean Names Names from Tennyson Names from Harry Potter |
If you like Hector you may also like: |
Thanks to Ella for requesting Hector.