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Harper

English
"harp player"
Clare Green
By Clare Green
Updated Wed Apr 23 2025

Harper Origin and Meaning

The name Harper is a boy's name of English origin meaning "harp player".

Harper got its start as a celebrity baby name when Paul Simon chose it for his now-grown son. Since then, other famous parents have followed suit: musician Tim Finn and actor Cecilia Peck both have sons called Harper.

Other high-profile Harpers, like author (Nelle) Harper Lee and starbabies Harper Burtka-Harris and Harper Beckham, are female, but it makes a handsome choice for either sex (and is in the US Top 1000 for both boys and girls).

# 971 in the US

Harper Rank in US Top 1000

# 596 on Nameberry

Harper Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Popularity of the name Harper

20 Names Similar to Harper

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Harper.

Famous People Named Harper

  • Harper Simon
    American singer, son of Paul Simon
  • Harper Carter
    American entrepreneur
  • Harper Williams
    American basketball player
  • Harper Goff
    American artist, musician, and actor
  • Harper LeBel
    American football player
  • Alexander Harper "Xander" Berkeley
    American actor
  • Harper Finn (b. 1998)
    son of musician Tim Finn of band Crowded House
  • Harper Daniel Peck (b. 1999)
    son of actress Cecilia Peck; grandson of actor Gregory Peck
  • Harper Edward Weyman (b. 2008)
    son of American actress Laura Allen
  • Harper Lowery (b. 2010)
    son of musician Clint Lowery of Sevendust and Seether
  • Harper Watters
    Youtuber and demi,soloist with Houston Ballet

The name Harper in Pop Culture

  • Harper
    main character in "The Drowning Pool"
  • Dr. Harper Avery
    character on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and namesake of fictional Harper Avery Award; grandfather of Dr. Jackson Avery
  • Harper Sutton
    character in "Palace of Mirrors" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
  • Charlie and Alan Harper
    characters in "Two and a Half Men"
  • Roy Harper aka Speedy
    Red Arrow and Arsenal, character in DC Comics
  • Seamus Harper
    character on TV Show Andromeda

The name Harper in Nameberry Blog Posts