boy's name
Henry
HEN-ree
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 873,497
the United States
#5
2025 births
Henry is a boy's name of Germanic origin meaning "home ruler," from heim, meaning home or estate, and ric, meaning ruler or power. It has been carried by eight English kings and remains one of the most enduring royal names in Europe.
- Henry is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 12,040 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 275 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Henry 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 | 24,289 |
| 1890s | 21,851 |
| 1900s | 21,970 |
| 1910s | 80,267 |
| 1920s | 105,474 |
| 1930s | 71,062 |
| 1940s | 72,989 |
| 1950s | 62,591 |
| 1960s | 39,420 |
| 1970s | 23,731 |
| 1980s | 20,917 |
| 1990s | 25,345 |
| 2000s | 42,841 |
| 2010s | 92,687 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 68,130 |
What Henry means
Henry means "ruler of the home," though home here means an estate or domain rather than a house. The second element, ric, is the same root found in the German Reich and in names such as Richard and Roderick, and denotes rule or power.
Where Henry comes from
Henry comes from the Germanic Heimirich, built from heim, meaning home or estate, and ric, meaning ruler. The name was widespread in the Frankish and later German lands, where it appears as Heinrich, and reached England through the Normans in the form Henri. It became a fixture of English royalty from Henry I onward, with eight kings of that name, and its popularity in medieval England was such that the pet form Harry became almost interchangeable with it for centuries. That familiarity explains why Harry, rather than Hen, is the traditional English short form.
Henry in use
Harry was for centuries the ordinary spoken form of Henry in England, not a separate name.
How popular is Henry?
In 2025, Henry was given to 12,040 babies in the United States, ranking #5 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Henry 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 Henry
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Henry also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Henry over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Henry
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.
Henry 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 Henry
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Henry — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Henry
What does the name Henry mean?
Henry means "home ruler," from the Germanic heim (home) and ric (ruler).
Is Harry short for Henry?
Yes. Harry was the ordinary spoken form of Henry in England for centuries before becoming a name in its own right.
How many English kings were named Henry?
Eight kings of England have been named Henry.
How popular is the name Henry?
In 2025, Henry was given to 12,040 babies in the United States, ranking #5 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Henry a girl's or a boy's name?
Henry is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Henry?
Henry has 2 syllables.
When was Henry most popular?
Henry peaked in 2025, when 12,040 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Henry?
Henry is usually shortened to Harry, Hank and Hal.
Is Henry a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Henry currently ranks #5 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.