Boy · #791 in 2026

Harry

Harry is a male given name. Beginning as a Middle English form of Henry, in the modern era it became a diminutive for several names beginning with "Har". The Norwegian term "harry" is derived from the name.

  • English
  • Dutch
  • Swedish
  • German
Current Rank
#791
Peak Rank
#8 (1918)
Total Babies
424K
5-Yr Trend
-14%
1880
First Year
1988
Last Year
1928
Peak Year
#962
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
106
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Harry

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Harry is a male given name. Beginning as a Middle English form of Henry, in the modern era it became a diminutive for several names beginning with "Har". The Norwegian term "harry" is derived from the name.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Dutch
  • Swedish
  • German

The Story of Harry

American parents first put Harry on the record books as a baby boy name in 1880, with 2,152 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 9,896 Harrys were born — ranking #20 that year. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 20% of all recorded Harrys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #791 among baby boy names with 322 births, gradually falling (-14%). In total, more than 424K Harrys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Harry

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Harry. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Harry

Phonetically similar names — useful when Harry 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 Harry

What does the name Harry mean?
Harry is a male given name. Beginning as a Middle English form of Henry, in the modern era it became a diminutive for several names beginning with "Har". The Norwegian term "harry" is derived from the name.
What is the origin of the name Harry?
Harry has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Dutch, Swedish, German.
How popular is Harry in 2026?
In 2026, Harry ranks #791 among boys' names in the U.S., with 322 babies given the name that year.
When was Harry most popular?
Harry reached its peak popularity in 1918, ranking #8 that year with 9,896 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Harry most popular?
Harry has historically been most popular in Nevada, Delaware, Wyoming. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Harry.
Is Harry a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Harry is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Harry?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Harry include Thomas, Edward, Lucas. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Harry?
Common variants and related forms of Harry include Hal, Hank, Heinrich, Hendrick, Hendricus, Hendrik. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Retta
Peak #962
👧
Veva
Peak #962
👧
Jaycie
Peak #962
👧
Dosha
Peak #963
👧
Glendora
Peak #963
👧
Dannie
Peak #961
👧
Merilyn
Peak #961
👧
Eleni
Peak #963

About the name Harry

Harry is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 424K births in the dataset. Harry's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #8. Use the chart and map above to compare Harry's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.