How to say it
HEC · tor
/ˈhɛk.tər/
Masculine
Hector
Holding fast, steadfast
What it means
Greek, 'holding fast' or 'steadfast,' from echein, 'to hold.'
Hector means 'holding fast,' from the Greek echein, 'to hold,' and it belongs to Homer's noblest warrior: the Trojan prince Hector, the steadfast defender of his city in the Iliad. The Spanish Héctor is hugely popular across Latin America, and Breaking Bad lent it the silent, bell-ringing Hector Salamanca. It reads classical and strong, with deep heroic roots.
Popularity over time
peaked at #156 in 1990, currently #409 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Hector, the noble defender of Troy in the Iliad.
- Worth knowing
Héctor is very common across Latino communities.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Hector Trojan prince and greatest defender of Troy in Homer's Iliad
Spelling variants
- Héctor
- Ettore
- Heitor
Names with the same feeling
See Hector from another angle
By meaning
By style