Hal
Hal is a masculine given name, often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Harold, Henry or Harvey, and a nickname. Notable people with the name include:
Meaning & Origin of Hal
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Hal is a masculine given name, often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Harold, Henry or Harvey, and a nickname. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Hal
Hal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1956, when 598 Hals were born — ranking #305 that year. As of 2026, Hal ranks #3,492 for baby boys with 33 births, rising sharply (+19% over the past five years). In total, more than 17K Hals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Hal
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Hal Ashby (1929–1988), American film director
- Hal Barwood , American game designer
- Hal Bernton , American author and journalist
- Hal Bidlack (born 1958), former USAF officer
- Hal Blaine (Harold Simon Belsky; 1929–2019), American drummer
- Hal Borland (1900–1978), American author
- Hal Clement (1922–2003), American author and artist
- Hal Clements , American actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Hal
Phonetically similar names — useful when Hal is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hal
What does the name Hal mean?
How popular is Hal in 2026?
When was Hal most popular?
In which U.S. states is Hal most popular?
Is Hal a unisex name?
What names go well with Hal?
About the name Hal
Hal is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 17K births in the dataset. Hal's peak popularity came in 1956 when it ranked #305. Use the chart and map above to compare Hal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1956 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.