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\Honorable H names [girls]

ScarlettRobin
By ScarlettRobin
Updated Sat May 20 2023
  1. Hannah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names — it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 100 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of appeal: Old Testament roots, soft and gentle sound, and a homey yet aristocratic image.
  2. Heidi

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Adelheid; German

    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility"

    • Description:

      Heidi became known — and popular — via the 1880 eponymous children's classic by Swiss writer Johanna Spyri and, despite decades of American Heidis of all sizes, shapes, and personalities, the name seems permanently tethered to that spunky little girl on the Alpine mountaintop in the book and Shirley Temple movie.
  3. Helen

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "torch; shining light"

    • Description:

      Helen is a name that has connoted beauty since ancient times – Helen of Troy was the the mythological "face that launched a thousand ships," over whom the ten-year Trojan War was fought.
  4. Heather

    • Origin:

      English botanical name

    • Meaning:

      "small shrub"

    • Description:

      This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties, a fact reflected in the 1989 movie Heathers, in which every snobby girl in the high school clique bears the name. Now, though still pretty and evocative of the Scottish moors, it has faded in favor of other purplish blooms. It fell out of the Top 1000 in 2016 after having been as high as Number 3 in 1975, when it was given to close to 25,000 girls. Across the pond in the UK however, it remains near the latter end of the Top 1000.
  5. Henrietta

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Henry, German

    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"

    • Description:

      Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that Henrietta has the same vintage charm.
  6. Hermione

    • Origin:

      Feminine version of Hermes, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "messenger, earthly"

    • Description:

      Hermione's costarring role in Harry Potter has made this previously ignored, once stodgy name suddenly viable. Hermione could really take off once today's children start having kids of their own.
  7. Hailey

    • Origin:

      English and Scottish clan name

    • Meaning:

      "Hay's meadow"

    • Description:

      There are no less than ten different variations of Hailey on the current Most Popular list, but this is the spelling that brought it into the Top 10 of 2010, although it has quickly fallen in popularity. So, although Hailey has a shiny, unpretentious charm, its mass popularity makes it very much of the moment.
  8. Hyacinth

    • Origin:

      Flower name, from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "blue larkspur; precious stone"

    • Description:

      Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name.
  9. Honora

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "woman of honor"

    • Description:

      Honora and Honoria are two ways of softening the severity of Honor, while retaining its righteous meaning. They were predominant until the Reformation, when the Puritans adopted the abstract virtue names, and were introduced to Britain by the Normans.
  10. Hero

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "demi-god"

    • Description:

      Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their daughter's middle--and we wouldn't be surprised to see more girls with this heroic name.
  11. Hannelore

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "grace + god is my light"

    • Description:

      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.
  12. Hypatia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "highest, supreme"

    • Description:

      Hypatia, an ancient Greek name, has a distinguished namesake: Hypatia of Alexandria was an early philosopher and scholar of mathematics and astronomy--as well as inventor of several scientific instruments.
  13. Havana

    • Origin:

      Taíno place-name

    • Description:

      Politics aside, the Cuban capital is one of the most rhythmic of place-names. The question is: can politics be put aside?
  14. Halia

    • Origin:

      Hawaiian, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "remembrance of a loved one, cherished memory; briny"

    • Description:

      Halia is one of Hawaii's top baby names, in the Top 50 for girls in 2021. Rare yet quietly on the rise outside of Hawaii, it was given to around 64 girls in a recent year. With its appealing meaning and approachable sound, Halia may see more use in the future.
  15. Harriett

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "home ruler"

    • Description:

      This alternative spelling of Harriet has always ranked in the England top 1000, reaching as high as the top 50 in the late 1800s. The extra T changes nothing about the pronunciation but adds a little flair and balances out the double R's in the middle of the name.
  16. Halley

    • Origin:

      Scottish and English

    • Meaning:

      "hall or woodland clearing"

    • Description:

      The Halley version of this popular name family hit the Top 1000 only once, in 1986, inspired by Halley's Comet, named for astronomer Edmund Halley.
  17. Haruko

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "born in spring"

    • Description:

      A traditional possibility for a Japanese or Japanese-American child born in April or May.
  18. Halcyone

    • Description:

      Halcyone is a rare feminine name derived from Greek mythology. It refers to Alcyone (sometimes spelled Halcyone), the daughter of Aeolus, god of the winds, who was transformed into a kingfisher bird with her husband Ceyx after his death at sea. The name relates to the term 'halcyon days,' meaning a period of peace and tranquility, as legend held that the sea remained calm during the winter solstice when the kingfisher built its nest. Halcyone has never been common in mainstream usage, but appeals to parents drawn to mythological names with poetic qualities. The name conveys associations with serenity, loyalty, and natural beauty, offering an unusual choice with rich cultural significance.
  19. Hassie

    • Description:

      Hassie is a vintage feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Hasselene or as a nickname for names beginning with 'Has-'. It also appeared as a pet form of Hester or Esther in some communities. The name enjoyed modest popularity in the southern United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries but has become extremely rare today. Hassie has the characteristic friendly, informal quality of many nickname-names ending in '-ie' from that era. Like other revival vintage names, it combines old-fashioned charm with a distinctive quality that sets it apart from contemporary popular choices. The name's simple pronunciation and spelling make it accessible despite its unfamiliarity to modern ears. Hassie represents a category of names now being rediscovered by parents interested in authentic historical choices.

  20. Haidee

    • Origin:

      Literature, English

    • Meaning:

      "modest, reverant"

    • Description:

      While Haidee may sound like a variant of Heidi or Hailey, it's actually a separate name with a literary history. First appearing in Byron's epic poem Don Juan (1819), it was likely inspired by the Greek word aidoios meaning "modest, reserved".