Harriet
About Harriet
Harriet has long been considered a stylish, upscale name in England, but it's still waiting to be revived in the US—though some parents seeking a solid, serious semi-classic are beginning to consider it.
Distinguished namesakes include Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the influential Uncle Tom's Cabin; Harriet Tubman (born Araminta), the famed abolitionist; and in pop culture, Harriet Hilliard Nelson, of Ozzie & Harriet TV fame. Many will associate it with the protagonist of the childhood classic Harriet the Spy. Harriet has appeared in other books ranging from Jane Austen's Emma to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Harriet, a Top 100 name at the turn of the last century, hasn't appeared on the list since 1970. On the other hand, it is currently Number 61 in England and Wales.
Cutesy nicknames for Harriet include Hattie, Hetty, and Hatsy. A related idea: Henrietta.
As of October 2026, Harriet ranked #1073 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #73 in 1880, Nameberry popularity #338.
Editor's take: The name Harriet is a girl's name of French, English origin meaning "estate ruler".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,627 | 132 | 73.9 |
| 2015 | #1,307 | 182 | 102 |
| 2016 | #1,356 | 175 | 98.8 |
| 2017 | #1,169 | 211 | 122.2 |
| 2018 | #1,040 | 248 | 145.8 |
| 2019 | #990 | 261 | 155.5 |
| 2020 | #1,076 | 230 | 142.3 |
| 2021 | #1,055 | 239 | 145.7 |
| 2022 | #1,129 | 217 | 132.3 |
| 2023 | #1,130 | 215 | 134 |
| 2024 | #1,157 | 208 | 128.4 |
| 2025 | #1,073 | 226 | 140.6 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Harriet.
- Frances
- Edith
- Ruth
- Dorothy
- Louise
- Winifred
- Greta
- Beatrice
- Agnes
- Louisa
- Matilda
- Maude
- Siggy
- Florence
- Ida
- Mabel
- Betty
- Philippa
- Henrietta
- Martha
Harriet on lists
Famous Harriets
- Harriet Beecher Stowe
American novelist
- Harriet Nelson (born Peggy Louise Snyder)
American singer and actress, wife of Ozzie Nelson
- Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross)
American abolitionist
- Harriet Mary Walter
English actress
- Harriet Ruth Harman
British Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
- Harriet Martineau
English social theorist
- Harriet Ellan Miers
31st U.S. White House Counsel
- Harriet Ann Jacobs
American slave narrative author
- Harriet Sansom Harris
American actress
- Harriet Andersson
Swedish actress
- Harriet Roberts
English dance pop singer
- Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana (Howard) Sutherland
Leveson,Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, British Mistress of the Robes
- Harriet Sarah
Lady Mordaunt, Scottish divorcee of MP Charles Mordaunt and friend of King Edward VII
- Harriet Arbuthnot
English diarist and friend of the Duke of Wellington
- Harriet Hemings
daughter of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson
Harriet in pop culture
- Harriet Chetwode
Talbot, main character in film "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
- Harriet Welsch
main character in Louise Fitzhugh's "Harriet the Spy"
- Harriet Jones
character on TV's "Doctor Who" and "Torchwood"
- Harriet Vanger
character in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
- Harriet Smith
character in Jane Austen's "Emma"
- Harriet Vane
character in Dorothy L. Sayers' "Gaudy Night"
- Harriet Oleson
character on TV's "Little House on the Prairie"
- Harriet Goodcharm
character on TV's "The Worst Witch"
- Harriet "Harry" Watson
sister of Dr. John Watson on TV's "Sherlock"
- Harriet Beadle "Tattycoram
" character in Charles Dickens' "Little Dorrit"
- Harriet Townsend
character in "Yesterday's Child" by Barbara Woo
- Harriet Bentley
character in film "Wild Child"
- Harriet Schulenburg
character on British TV's Green Wing"
- Harriet Hayward
character on TV's "Twin Peaks"
- Harriet
dog character in children's books by Nancy Carlson
- Harriet
character in "The Maze Runner" series
- Harriet Kepner
Avery, daughter of Dr. Jackson Avery and Dr. April Kepner on "Grey's Anatomy"
- Mad Harriet
villain in DC Comics
- Harriet Arkham
character in Batman comics
- Harriet Hyde
alter,ego in British TV series "Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde"
- Harriet Morton
character in Eva Ibbotson's novel "A Company of Swans"
- Harriet Sims
U.S. Navy officer in the TV show JAG
- Harriet
character in the videogame “Super Mario Odyssey”
- Harriet Brindle
character on “Small Wonder”