Harry

Diminutive of Henry

"estate ruler"

Updated Mon Sep 02 2024

Show me Harry as a girl's name →

Harry Origin and Meaning

The name Harry is a boy's name of German origin meaning "estate ruler".

Harry is the medieval English form of Henry, which derived from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning "estate ruler." Harry was the nickname of all eight King Henrys; it is also a diminutive of Harold and Harrison.

We're just wild about Harry! Harry was everyone's elderly uncle until Princess Diana, following British royal tradition, named her son Henry but called him Harry. Then Harry Potter became a rage and Harry Styles of One Direction became the hottest boy bander of the new millennium. Thus, Harry's avuncular image was history. Harry is still much more popular in England, Ireland, and Scotland than it is in the US, but its classic yet unpretentious image makes it a recommended choice.

Harry was a Top 20 name in the US from 1880 to 1918, and continued in the Top 100 into the 1950s (hence the song "I'm Just Wild About Harry"), and has countless worthy namesakes, including Truman, Belafonte, and Houdini.

Among the celebs who have chosen this good guy name for their sons are David Letterman (it was his father's name), Simon Baker, and Billy Bob Thornton. It's also found in a number of movie titles from The Trouble with Harry to Dirty Harry to When Harry Met Sally.

# 782 in the US

Harry Rank in US Top 1000

# 283 on Nameberry

Harry Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Harry Popularity

782US2023
283Nameberry2024
657Future2028
15England2022
42Scotland2023
24Ireland2023
35Australia2023
40New Zealand2023
22Sweden2022
80Cats2022

20 Names Similar to Harry

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

Famous People Named Harry

Harry Alan TowersEnglish film producer
Harry S. Truman33rd U.S. President
Harold Andrew "Harry" BlackmunU.S. Supreme Court Justice
Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz)Hungarian,American escape artist
Harry Mason ReidU.S. Senator from Nevada
Prince Harry (née Henry Charles Albert David)Duke of Sussex, a member of the British royal family
Harry LewisYouTube personality known as Wroetoshaw
Harry Edward StylesEnglish singer, songwriter and actor
Harry Frederick HarlowAmerican psychologist
(Joseph) Harry Connick Jr.American singer and actor
Harold George "Harry" BelafonteAmerican singer, actor and activist

Harry Robinson HamlinAmerican actor
Harry Laverne AndersonAmerican actor
Harry Truman ReasonerAmerican TV journalist
Harry Albert Atkinson10th Premier of New Zealand
Harry Foster ChapinAmerican singer,songwriter
Harry Edward NilssonAmerican singer,songwriter
Harry Mark Christopher Judddrummer of British band McFly
Harry DouglasAmerican NFL football player
Hubert August "Harry" PielGerman actor, screenwriter, and film director
Harry Fleetwood AndrewsEnglish actor

Harry MondrykEnglish singer
Harry Lawrence NewmanAmerican NFL football player
Harry John TreadwayEnglish actor
Harry Fielding ReidAmerican geophysicist
Harry MorganAmerican actor
Harry Neal BaumAmerican author
Harry Bache SmithAmerican songwriter
Harry Edson BrowneAmerican investment analyst, author and politician
Henry George "Harry" ChauvelAustralian WWI general
George Henry Stevens "Harry" TrottAustralian cricketer

Harry DanningAmerican baseball player
Harry Surtees AlthamEnglish cricketer
Harry LloydEnglish actor
Harry Gordon Selfridge Sr.British retail magnate
Harry BroadNew Zealand author
Harry Shum Jr.Costa Rican,American actor, dancer, singer, and choreographer
Harry James Thorntonson of actor Billy Bob Thornton and model Pietra Dawn Cherniak
Harry Lettermanson of American comedian and TV personality David Letterman
Harry Friday Bakerson of actors Simon Baker and Rebecca Rigg

Harry in Pop Culture

Harry James Pottermain character in J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series
Harry Osbornfriend of Peter Parker/Spiderman in Marvel's "Spiderman"
Dirty Harry Callahanmain character in the "Dirty Harry" movies
Harry Burnsmain character in film "When Harry Met Sally"
Hieronymus "Harry" Boschmain character in novels by Michael Connelly and TV's "Bosch"
Harry Fishercharacter on TV's "Waterloo Road"
Harry Colemancharacter in 2003 movie "Freaky Friday"
Harry BaileyGeorge's younger brother in movie "It's a Wonderful Life"
Harry Hallermain character in Hermann Hesse's "Steppenwolf"
Harry Pearcecharacter on TV's "Spooks"
Harry Paget Flashmanmain character in the "Flashman" series by George MacDonald Fraser

Harry Prendergastmain character in G. A. Henty's "The Treasure of the Incas"
Harrycharacter on TV's "7th Heaven"
Harry Cranecharacter on TV's "Mad Men"
Harry Masoncharacter in the "Silent Hill" video game series
Harry Solomoncharacter on TV's "3rd Rock from the Sun"
Harry Dresdenmain character in "The Dresden Files" series by Jim Butcher
Horrible Harrychildren's book series by Suzy Kline
Harry Furnessmain character in G. A. Henty's "Friends Though Divided"
Harry Dunnemain character in movie "Dumb and Dumber"
Harry "Opie" Winstoncharacter on TV's "Sons of Anarchy"

Harry Limerobber in the "Home Alone" movies
Henry "Harry" Sandwithmain character in G. A. Henty's "In the Reign of Terror"
Harry Carringtoncharacter in "Elsie Dinsmore" series
Harry Villiers. character from movie "The Riot Club"
Henry "Harry" Wottoncharacter in "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
Harry "Galahad" Hartcharacter from "Kingsman: The Secret Service"
Harry S. Trumancharacter in "Twin Peaks"
Harrya character in "The Forest of Hands and Teeth," by Carrie Ryan
Harrymain character in short story "The Black Mamba" by author Liam Holt
Harrison "Harry" Wellscharacter from TV's "The Flash"

Harry Doylecharacter in ABC's "Quantico"
Bad Hat Harrya production company
Harry Sullivana companion on TV’s "Doctor Who"
Harry Brightcharacter in the "Mamma Mia!" musical and films
Harry Huntercharacter in the 1962 film "The Phantom of the Opera"
Harry Greenwoodcharacter on "Charmed" reboot