girl's name
Henrietta
hen-ree-ET-uh
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 4
- Letters 9
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 53,745
England and Wales
#481
2025 births
Henrietta named a American state — Maryland was chartered for Henrietta Maria, queen to Charles I, so a French princess's middle name sits on the map of the United States. The 1632 charter names the colony for her, and England still ranks the name five times higher than America does.
- Henrietta is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in 1918, when 1,411 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 51,007 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 3.
Henrietta over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,480 |
| 1890s | 4,045 |
| 1900s | 4,514 |
| 1910s | 10,405 |
| 1920s | 10,476 |
| 1930s | 5,828 |
| 1940s | 5,655 |
| 1950s | 3,830 |
| 1960s | 1,779 |
| 1970s | 660 |
| 1980s | 318 |
| 1990s | 223 |
| 2000s | 144 |
| 2010s | 581 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 449 |
What Henrietta means
Henrietta means ruler of the estate. The Germanic home in it is territorial rather than domestic, naming the land a lord held rather than the house he lived in.
Where Henrietta comes from
Henrietta is a French feminine of Henri, from the Germanic Heimirich — heim, a home, dwelling or enclosed domain, joined to ric, power or rule. The heim means the estate held, so the name reads as ruler of the domain rather than of a household. Henrietta Maria of France married Charles I, and the Maryland charter of 1632 names the colony for her. Enrique, elsewhere on this site, is the same Germanic compound by a Spanish route.
Henrietta in use
Henrietta peaked in the United States in 1918, when 1,411 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving. It now ranks 481st in England and Wales on 83 births, 2682nd in the United States on 65 and 6992nd in France on 5, across 53,745 lifetime births in three of the seven markets we track. England and Wales ranks it more than five times higher than America does.
How popular is Henrietta?
In 2025, Henrietta was given to 65 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Henrietta is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Henrietta
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Henrietta also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Henrietta over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Henrietta
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Henrietta in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Henrietta
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Henrietta — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Henrietta
What does the name Henrietta mean?
Ruler of the estate — the Germanic heim, a domain, joined to ric, power.
Is Maryland named for her?
Yes — the 1632 charter names the colony for Henrietta Maria, queen to Charles I.
Is Harriet the same name?
Yes — an English reshaping of Henriette.
Is Henrietta coming back?
Our data marks it reviving, led by England and Wales at 481st.
How popular is the name Henrietta?
In 2025, Henrietta was given to 65 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Henrietta a girl's or a boy's name?
Henrietta is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Henrietta?
Henrietta has 4 syllables.
When was Henrietta most popular?
Henrietta peaked in 1918, when 1,411 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Henrietta?
Henrietta is usually shortened to Etta, Hetty and Hattie.
Is Henrietta a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Henrietta currently ranks #481 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.