Boys Names Beginning With H

Henry

German

"estate ruler"

Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a…

Hudson

English place-name and surname

"Hugh's son"

Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion…

Hugh

English from German, Irish

"mind, intellect; fiery one"

Tough yet gentle in look and sound, Hugh was a Top 100 choice in the US back in the late 19th-century and while it's never reached those heights again, it has always managed to remain in the Top 1000…

Harry

Diminutive of Henry, English, German

"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…

Harlem

Place-name

"home on a forested dune"

With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem is one to watch out for. It has lingered down the lower end of the US Top 1000 since 2018 but has been trending upwards. It's already been…

Howard

German, English

"high guardian; brave heart"

Howard, once hugely popular in the Top 50 from the 1870s to early 1950s, hitting Number 24 in 1920 -- has been stuck in Dad-Grandad limbo for decades, but is showing some signs of stirring back to…

Hans

German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, diminutive of Johannes

Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old…

Haven

Word name, English

"a place of safety"

Like Harbor, one of the new generation of word names with appealing meanings, though (female) memoirist Haven Kimmel has tipped it decidedly toward the girls' side. There are now more than ten female…

Honor

English word, virtue name

"honor"

A classic virtue name for girls stretching back to the Pilgrim times, in more recent years, Honor has become one of the unisex baby names with a near-even gender split. Rarely used on boys before the…

Huck

Diminutive of Huckleberry, word name

Though forever tied to Huck, short for Huckleberry, Finn, this is an undeniably cute short form that may have some life as part of the hipster taste for names like Duke and Bix.

Harper

English

"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…

Hero

Greek

"demi-god; admired, courageous"

A bold, brave choice, that some may worry is a little heavy to bestow on a child, Hero wouldn't seem too out of place alongside Chosen, Merritt, or Noble. Though the mythological Hero was female, as…

Helios

Greek

"sun"

The name of the young Greek sun god, brother to the moon goddess Selene and the dawn goddess Eos, Helios is depicted as riding across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. A…

Hart

English

"stag"

Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but…

Hardy

German

"bold, brave"

Hardy is a spirited and durable un-Germanic German surname that is starting to be used in this country. British fashion designer Hardy Amies (born Edwin) is its best known bearer, and Thomas Hardy…

Hawkins

English

"hawk"

A surname that originated as a diminutive of Hawk.

Hartley

English

"stag meadow"

Smart and sharp but with a touch of heart and charm, Hartley is a surname style name that could work as an alternative to Harley, Harvey, Artie, or Harry. Quietly used as a masculine name throughout…

Hewitt

English, Scottish, and Irish surname

"descendant of Hugh; one who lives near the wood clearing"

Modern way to honor an ancestral Hugh.

Hawthorne

English

"lives where hawthorn hedges grow"

The great American novelist sets this above many other surnames (and nature names , for that matter), but it's still an imposing and adventurous choice. Do nicknames Hawk or Thorne make it more…

Honest

English virtue name

Honor and Honesty are on the ascent, and now Honest has been introduced into the name pool. Maybe Honestly will be next.