"Herringbone" is the name of a pattern, used, for example, in brick laying. Herringbone stamped concrete patterns can mimic such brick designs. If you view my picture of a herringbone brick pattern, you can see that this is a dynamic design that suggests energy and activity.
In masonry, I think of the herringbone design as consisting of parallel rows of lightning bolts. A herringbone design could also be described as consisting of rows of L shapes; in each row, starting from the bottom L shape (i.e, a vertical brick resting on a horizontal brick), each succeeding L shape is nestled atop the crook formed by the two bricks below it.
The herringbone design is sometimes described informally as simply a "zigzag" pattern. Used on a fabric (in contrast to its use in masonry in laying bricks or in a herringbone stamped concrete pattern), the constituent shape is usually the V rather than the L.
