Hal

Did you know?

A few things about Hal you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Hal

Hal Holbrook

American actor (1925–2021)

Choose Hal and your child shares a first name with Hal Holbrook, an American actor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Hal, like who?” Hal Holbrook's Wikipedia article is available in 93 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Hal Holbrook on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: NBC Television, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 45,045 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Hal, 38 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Hal would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryHal has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Hals, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1956, when it ranked #305. Today it's #3,128, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🚀TrendHal has climbed 216 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #3,128. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedHal is most popular in Utah, where it ranks #621. It's in the top 1,000 in 1 state.
• 💬MeaningHal is an English form of Henry, which means “home ruler”. Our records link it to Celtic Gaelic, English and Scandinavian roots.

About the name Hal

Hal is a boy name of Celtic Gaelic, English and Scandinavian origin meaning “home ruler”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with H and ending in “-hal”. US birth records list Hal for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1956, when it ranked #305 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #3,128, with 38 babies.

Origin:Celtic Gaelic namesEnglish namesScandinavian names