Harry

In This Article

Origin, Meaning, And History of Harry

The name Harry is a masculine name of Germanic origin, meaning ‘home ruler’ or ‘ruler of the household.’ It is also of English origin, with several meanings depending on interpretation. Some sources suggest it comes from the Old High German name ‘Heimerich,’ while others believe it is related to the Germanic name ‘Haimrich,’ meaning ‘household ruler.’

Harry has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages, where it was popular among royalty and nobility. It has been used by several English and Scottish kings, including the famous King Henry VIII.

While the popularity of Harry has fluctuated over time, it has always been a relatively common name. In the early 20th century, it was among the top ten most popular names in England and Wales. Since the 1880s, it has been popular in the United States.

The rise of the British royal family’s popularity has contributed to the name’s recent surge in popularity. Prince Harry, also known as Prince Henry of Wales, has helped popularize the name in recent years.

Variations of the name include Harold (Old English), Harrison (English), Henrik (Scandinavian), Harri (Welsh), Harald (Scandinavian), Hank (United States), Hal (England), Enrique (Spanish), Heinrich (German), Hervé (French), and Arrigo (Italian). There are several common nicknames for Harry, including Har, Haz, Hank, Harold, Hal, Harris, Hariboy, Haribo, and Harizzle.

The name has also featured in literature, most notably in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, contributing to its continued popularity. Other famous fictional characters with the name include Harry Dresden, the protagonist of the Dresden Files book series; Harry Bosch, the main character in the Bosch book series; Harry Callahan, the main character in the Dirty Harry film series; Harry Wormwood, a character in the Matilda book and film; Harry Goldfarb, a character in the Requiem for a Dream film; and Harry Dunne, one of the main characters in the Dumb and Dumber film series.

Harry

heart image
Ruler of the household
Boy
Hindu
Middle English, Germanic
7
Two
1 word, 5 letters, 1 vowel, 4 consonants
Short and easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce Harry?

Pronounced as hah-reeh

The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.

Listen to the sound of the name Harry in English.

Listen to the sound of the name Harry in German.

Famous People With The Name Harry

  • Harry S. TrumanThe 33rd president of the US, served from 1945 to 1953.
  • Harry Stewart Fleetwood AndrewsEnglish actor, winner of National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor.
  • Harry Bateman FRSEnglish mathematician with a specialty in differential equations of mathematical physics
  • Harry AngpingFilipino politician, also a former chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission.
  • Harry BelafonteAmerican singer, songwriter, actor and social activist, his album Calypso (1956) was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.

Harry On The Popularity Chart

The popularity of the name Harry has gradually declined over the years. The graphical representations given below provide more information.

Popularity Over Time

It was a popular name in the early 20th century, but its usage declined in the latter half of the century.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

The name saw a steady decline in ranking from the late 80s onwards. From 12345 in 1983, the name’s ranking slipped to 21150 in 2007.

Source: Social Security Administration

Harry On MomJunction Popularity Chart

Know how popular the name Harry is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.

Names With Similar Sound As Harry

If you liked the sound of Harry and are looking for names with similar sound, here is a list of options.

Popular Sibling Names For Harry

If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Harry, check our suggestions here.

Boy Sibling Names For Harry

Find matching brother names for Harry and create a wonderful team of siblings.

Harailt heart imageHarden heart imageHardtman heart imageHariman heart imageHarimann heart imageHarmond heart imageHarold heart imageHarriman heart imageHarriot heart imageHarto heart image

Girl Sibling Names For Harry

Looking for some suitable sister names for Harry? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.

Ha Rin heart imageHairud heart imageHaracha heart imageHaral heart imageHaralda heart imageHaranoop heart imageHardeep heart imageHardika heart imageHardikya heart imageHareem heart image

Other Popular Names Beginning With H

Looking for more baby names starting with the letter H to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.

Names With Similar Meaning As Harry

If the meaning of the name Harry appeals to you but you want to explore other possibilities, take a look at this list of names with similar meaning.

Popular Songs On The Name Harry

Harry’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology

Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name harry. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.

Zodiac Sign (Rashi)

As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.

Rashi (zodiac sign)Karka (Cancer)
Starting letters for Karka (Cancer) rashiDD, H
RepresentationCrab
ElementWater
Ruling bodyMoon
QualityMovable

Birth Star (Nakshatra)

Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.

The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Karka (Cancer) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.

NakshatraDegrees Of The NakshatraNakshatra
Lord (Ruler)
Name Syllables
Punarvasu (Punartham, Punarpoosam)Cancer (0 to 3.20 degrees)JupiterKe, Kay, Ko, Ha, Hi, Hee
Pushya (Pooyam, Pushyami)Cancer (3.20 to 16.40 degrees)SaturnHu, He, Ho, Da
Aslesha (Aayilyam)Cancer (16.40 to 30 degrees)MercuryDi, Du, De, Do, Dee, Me, Da

Infographic: Know The Name Harry‘s Personality As Per Numerology

name-numerology-for-harry-boy

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.

Download Infographic in PDF version Download Infographic
Download Infographic in PDF version

Harry In Different Languages

It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Harry in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Harry, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!

NameLanguageCode
HarryEnglishen
哈利Chinesezh-CN
सतानाHindihi
HarrySpanishes
HarryFrenchfr
هاريArabicar
হ্যারিBengalibn
HarryPortuguesept
ГарриRussianru
ہیریUrduur
HarryIndonesianid
HarryGermande
ハリーJapaneseja
सतानाMarathimr
హ్యారీTelugute
HarryTurkishtr
ஹாரிTamilta
HarryVietnamesevi
HarryTagalogtl
괴롭히다Koreanko
HarryHausaha
HarrySwahilisw
HarryJavanesejv
HarryItalianit
ਹੈਰੀPunjabipa
હેરીGujaratigu
แฮร์รี่Thaith
ಹ್ಯಾರಿKannadakn
ሃሪAmharicam
सतानाBhojpuribho
HarryYorubayo

How To Communicate The Name Harry In Sign Languages

In Nautical Flags

harry

In Sign Language

harry

In Braille Alphabet

harry

In Morse Code

harry

Name Numerology For Harry

Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Harry, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.

Baby Name Lists Containing Harry

Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Harry

Discover the presence of Harry in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.

Movie titleOther titlesRelease year
Harry Ki Pyari2023
Harry Styles: The Finishing Touch2023
Kolkatar Harry2022
9th Circuit Cowboy: The Long, Good Fight of Judge Harry Pregerson9th Circuit Cowboy: The Long, Good Fight of Judge Harry Pregerson2021
Harry Chapin: When in Doubt, Do SomethingHarry Chapin: When in Doubt, Do Something, When in Doubt, Do Something2020
Marry Harry2020
The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte hosts the Tonight Show2020
Harry Birrell Presents Films of Love and War2019

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the meaning of the name Harry?

The name Harry means ‘house ruler.’

2. What is the origin of the name Harry?

Harry has English and German origins.

3. How to pronounce the name Harry?

Harry is pronounced as hah-reeh.

4. What is the feminine version of Harry?

Harriet is often considered a feminine version of the name Harry. It is derived from the name Henry, which has Germanic origins meaning ‘ruler of the home.’ Harriet has been used as a standalone name for centuries, particularly since the 17th century.

5. Is Harry a popular name in America?

Harry’s popularity in the US has fluctuated over time. It ranked among the Top 100 names in the US between 1900 to 1957, reaching its peak in 1911 when 2,538 babies shared the name. Although its popularity has waned recently, it still ranks among the Top 1000 names for boys in the US (1).

6. What middle name options go well with the name Harry?

Harry is a popular masculine name of Germanic origin. Hence, masculine middle names of the same origins can create strong, harmonious combinations with Harry. For instance, Otto meaning ‘wealth’ or ‘prosperity,’ Wilhelm, meaning ‘resolute protector,’ and Conrad, signifying ‘brave counsel,’ are some examples of names that evoke strength and intelligence, adding depth and significance to the overall name.

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
  1. Popularity of name Harry.
    https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
Was this article helpful?
thumbsupthumbsdown
The following two tabs change content below.