Unique Names that Start With H

Hilde is a feminine name of Germanic origin, functioning as both a standalone name and a diminutive of names containing the element "hild" meaning "battle" or "strife." Popular in Scandinavian countries, Germany, and the Netherlands, Hilde carries associations of strength and warrior spirit despite its soft sound. The name has historical significance through figures like the Valkyrie Brynhildr from Norse mythology and various medieval noblewomen. While considered somewhat traditional in Northern Europe, Hilde has a timeless quality that has prevented it from feeling dated. The name's combination of historical depth and brevity appeals to parents seeking names that are substantive yet straightforward. Hilde balances feminine gentleness with underlying strength and resilience.

Hilde

An ancient Germanic name that's so clunky and contrarian it's actually cool. One famous Hermelinda was a medieval queen of the Lombards; another was a Belgian saint.

Though neither Herman nor Linda carries any fashion appeal these days, this is an antique baby name that might appeal to those looking for a deeply-rooted and truly unique choice.

Hermelinda

A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting for a winter baby, but totally sunny too, it comes from the Old English hāligdæg meaning "holy day" as it was originally used to mark religious festivals and celebrations.
 
A quietly used option since the 50s, jazz singer Billie Holiday lends the name an element of glamor too, while familiar nickname Holly keeps it grounded. In a recent count, just 21 girls were called Holiday in the US, making this a rare choice that doesn't sound too out there.

Holiday

Sean and Robin Wright Penn chose this name for their son to honor their friend Dennis Hopper; others might associate it with the painter Edward. Couldn't be more spirited.

Hopper

Many virtue names have long been in style or have seen a resurgence in recent years. Happy, however joyous, seems unlikely to join this trend. This could be because it doesn't have a solid history of being popularly used (in comparison to Joy or Hope) and because it's such a familiarly used word in day to day life (unlike Verity or Felicity). 
 It was notably borne by the not-so-happy character Happy Loman in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, by a cat in the anime and manga series, Fairy Tail, and by Happy Quinn from the TV show Scorpion.

Happy

Haze

Several artistic Hiroshis make this one of the more plausible Japanese imports. 

Hiroshi

Horizon

An unassuming virtue, that is also a surname name.

Humble

Hunt

Halona

These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear. 

Hannibal

Simple and down-to-earth, but would probably work best as a middle name. 

Hill

Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern reference is the charismatic TV character Horatio Caine played by David Caruso in CSI: Miami.
 Horatio was the given name of Lord Nelson, one of the most dashing of British heroes, the naval commander who led the British fleet to destroy the French at Trafalgar, and it also belonged to Hamlet's loyal friend. Another literary namesake is Captain Horatio Hornblower, the protagonist of a long-running series of naval novels penned by C. S. Forester, played on screen by Gregory Peck.

Horatio

Broadening your horizons when choosing a name for your baby may lead you here. Horizon feels like the cousin of names like Meridian, Geo and Stellar - scientific spins on <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/329/nature-baby-names">nature names</a>. Rize is the usual nickname for this choice.

Hallow is a word meaning sacred or holy. As the root word for Halloween (orginally All Hallows' Eve), this name might be an evocative choice for a baby born on or near October 31st. It could work well for either a boy or a girl and offers the nicknames Hal and Halley.

Hallow

A pretty and substantial German smoosh name, a combination of Hanne and Eleonore. Most popular in Germany from the 1930s to the 1950s. Former German Chancellors Helmut Kohl and Helmut Schmidt both had wives named Hannelore.

Hannelore

Weather inspired choices from Sunny to Stormi are currently in vogue, and Hazy could be a contender to replace 70s star Misty. Referring to fog and dry, dusty air, "haze" is an atmospheric phenomenon in which the visibility of the sky is obscured, in turn evoking imagery of hazy, summer days. Alternatively, it might be used a diminutive of popular Hazel, inspired by the likes of Daisy and Maisie.
 
In theory then, Hazy is a zippy, sweet, and stylish option, so why doesn't it rank? Well, for one, hazy weather is associated with pollution in the air, and for another, hazy also means "undefined, unclear, uncertain", relating to incomplete memories and (sometimes drunken) confusion. Not the ideal connotations for the bearer.
 
We recommend you go for Hazel with Hazy as a fun nickname, or perhaps consider another unusual weather-inspired choice — Soleil or Snow for example — or for some sound-alike choices, Zaylee, Zadie, Hayden or Taisie.

Hazy

Heathcliff is the name of the original passionate macho hero of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, and also of the cartoon cat. It was chosen by fashionista Lucy Sykes for her son, and inspired the late Heath Ledger's name. But otherwise it's barely used, and perhaps a bit much of a namesake. For a modern boy we'd recommend Heath....or Cliff.

Heathcliff

Blending the sounds of classic Henry, with contemporary, on trend choices like Hendrix, Hudson, and Landon, Hendon is a place name and a surname. A town in London, whose name derives from the fact its on a hill, it is notably borne as a first name by football player, Hendon Hooker (Hendon being his middle name). The name wasn't used until 2022, the same year Hooker made a name for himself in sport, and was given to 32 babies in 2023. 

Hendon

unique names that start with the letter H, including Hilde, Hermelinda, Holiday, Hopper, Happy, Haze, Hiroshi, Horizon, Humble, Hunt, Halona, Hannibal, Hill, Horatio, Horizon, Hallow, Hannelore, Hazy, Heathcliff, and Hendon. (Page 7)

Unique Names that Start With H

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