Harper
Meaningharp player · English
- US rank
- #16
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #9 in 2019
6,792 babies were named Harper in the US in 2025. It has dropped 6 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1971–2025
US births per million boys, 1881–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Harper you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Harper
Harper Lee
American novelist (1926–2016)
Choose Harper and your child shares a first name with Harper Lee, an American novelist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Harper, like who?” Harper Lee's Wikipedia article is available in 109 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Harper Lee on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Eric Draper, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 237 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Harper, 6,792 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Harper.
- HistoryHarper first shows up in US birth records in 1881, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 144 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2019, when it reached #9.
- Then vs nowHarper is 56× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 13,351 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 237.
- Where it's lovedHarper is most popular in Nebraska, where it ranks #3, followed by West Virginia (#4) and Maine (#5). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn English, Harper means “harp player”.
- OriginHarper is the #4 most popular English girl name in the US. That's out of 6,029 English girl and unisex names in our list.
About the name Harper
Harper is a girl name of English origin meaning “harp player”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with H and ending in “-per”. US birth records list Harper for girls from 1971 to 2025, in 52 of those 55 years. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked #9 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #16, with 6,792 babies.
Origin:English names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.3 | 302,013 girls |
| 1980s | 4.8 | 210,084 girls |
| 1990s | 32 | 31,516 girls |
| 2000s | 305 | 3,284 girls |
| 2010s | 4,881 | 205 girls |
| 2020s | 4,881 | 205 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 53 | 18,821 boys |
| 1890s | 49 | 20,313 boys |
| 1900s | 30 | 33,289 boys |
| 1910s | 24 | 41,459 boys |
| 1920s | 20 | 48,948 boys |
| 1930s | 13 | 74,184 boys |
| 1940s | 7.8 | 127,389 boys |
| 1950s | 5.2 | 191,205 boys |
| 1960s | 3.6 | 275,482 boys |
| 1970s | 5.3 | 186,916 boys |
| 1980s | 5.1 | 194,932 boys |
| 1990s | 12 | 81,367 boys |
| 2000s | 72 | 13,826 boys |
| 2010s | 169 | 5,905 boys |
| 2020s | 71 | 14,158 boys |
More English girl names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Girl name: Elizabeth · God is my oath
- Girl name: Lily · lily flower
- Girl name: Lucy · light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Girl name: Scarlett · scarlet red
- Unisex name: Avery · elf counsel
Questions about the name Harper
What does the name Harper mean?
Harper means “harp player” in English.
What is the origin of the name Harper?
Harper has English roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Elizabeth.
Is Harper a boy or girl name?
Harper is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Harper?
Harper ranked #16 for US girls in 2025, given to 6,792 babies. Its best year was 2019 (#9).