Hercules

Meaning of Hercules

The appellation Hercules, historically assigned as a masculine given name and pronounced HER-kyoolz in both British and American English (/ˈhɜːkjulz/, /ˈhɝːkjulz/), constitutes the Roman adaptation of the ancient Greek Herakles, itself derived from the elements hērē (Hera) and kléos (glory) to convey “glory of Hera.” Rooted in classical mythology, this name invokes the demigod whose twelve labours, undertaken as penance for a divinely imposed transgression, have come to exemplify extraordinary physical prowess and steadfast moral resilience. Over successive eras, Hercules has retained a prominent place within the Western cultural canon—appearing in Homeric hymns, Renaissance dramas, neoclassical sculpture and, more recently, in film, literature and even aerospace nomenclature—thereby affirming its enduring resonance as a marker of heroic virtue within the Anglo-American naming tradition.