Harry
Meaningruler of the home · English form of Henry
- US rank
- #775
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #8 in 1889
329 babies were named Harry in the US in 2025. It has dropped 57 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 boys, 1880–2025
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 Harry you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Harry
Harry Houdini
Hungarian-born American illusionist, escapologist, and stunt performer (1874–1926)
Choose Harry and your child shares a first name with Harry Houdini, a Hungarian-born American illusionist, escapologist, and stunt performer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Harry, like who?” Harry Houdini's Wikipedia article is available in 96 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Harry Houdini on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: LaPine Studios, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 5,192 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Harry, 329 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Harry would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryHarry has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Harrys, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1889, when it ranked #8. Today it's #775, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendHarry has slipped 57 places over the last five years and now sits at #775. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedHarry is most popular in New York, where it ranks #407, followed by New Jersey (#429) and Oklahoma (#464). It's in the top 1,000 in 20 states.
- MeaningHarry is an English form of Henry, which means “ruler of the home”. Our records link it to Greek and Latin roots.
About the name Harry
Harry is a boy name of Greek and Latin origin meaning “ruler of the home”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with H and ending in “-rry”. US birth records list Harry for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked #8 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #775, with 329 babies.
Origin:Greek namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 20,647 | 48 boys |
| 1890s | 18,719 | 53 boys |
| 1900s | 13,269 | 75 boys |
| 1910s | 10,089 | 99 boys |
| 1920s | 7,825 | 128 boys |
| 1930s | 5,032 | 199 boys |
| 1940s | 3,824 | 262 boys |
| 1950s | 2,170 | 461 boys |
| 1960s | 1,167 | 857 boys |
| 1970s | 702 | 1,424 boys |
| 1980s | 409 | 2,448 boys |
| 1990s | 277 | 3,613 boys |
| 2000s | 216 | 4,626 boys |
| 2010s | 192 | 5,205 boys |
| 2020s | 199 | 5,030 boys |
More Greek boy names
- Boy name: Theodore · gift of God
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Lucas · man from Lucania
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Boy name: Leo · lion
- Boy name: Thomas · twin
- Unisex name: Miles · possibly gracious
Questions about the name Harry
What does the name Harry mean?
Harry means “ruler of the home” in English, as a form of Henry.
What is the origin of the name Harry?
Harry has Greek, Latin roots in our records. Other Greek names include Theodore, Mateo, Lucas.
Is Harry a boy or girl name?
Harry is a boy name.
How popular is the name Harry?
Harry ranked #775 for US boys in 2025, given to 329 babies. Its best year was 1889 (#8).