A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Henry since 1880
Babies named Henry per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2025, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Henry's real moment was 1881.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 24,139 |
| 1890s | 21,664 |
| 1900s | 21,772 |
| 1910s | 79,667 |
| 1920s | 104,552 |
| 1930s | 70,419 |
| 1940s | 72,488 |
| 1950s | 62,230 |
| 1960s | 39,134 |
| 1970s | 23,511 |
| 1980s | 20,728 |
| 1990s | 25,249 |
| 2000s | 42,760 |
| 2010s | 92,585 |
| 2020s | 68,047 |
Meaning & origin
Eight English kings, a run of Shakespeare histories, and bearers from Thoreau to Ford have made Henry one of the most thoroughly proven names in the language, "home ruler" in its Germanic bones, Harry on the medieval street, Hank on the American ballfield.
Its statistical story is the classic hundred-year revival. Henry's American peak came in 1881, at the top of the Victorian charts; it then drifted downward for a full century before turning in 1989. The climb since has returned it to No. 5 as of 2025, with about 1 in every 142 boys receiving the name, Gilded Age numbers, reassembled by parents four generations removed from the great-grandfathers who wore it first.
Henry runs strongest in Vermont, the District of Columbia, and Alaska, an unusual coalition of old New England, urban brownstone, and frontier taste that suggests the name's appeal now crosses nearly every demographic line. It pairs naturally with the other revivals of its cohort: Alice, Eleanor, Oliver, Theodore.
Henry descends from the continental Germanic name Heimirich, heim ("home") plus ric ("ruler, power"), which was Latinized as Henricus and carried to England by the Normans as Henri. Eight English kings bore it between 1100 and 1547, and through the Middle Ages the everyday spoken form was Harry, with Henry reserved largely for documents. The name never left steady use in the English-speaking world, and in Germany its cognate Heinrich remained a staple. In American records Henry was strongest at the very start of the data, peaking in 1881 as a fixture of the Victorian top ten; it slid gradually for a century before reversing course in 1989, and the 2020s have restored it to heights not seen since the Gilded Age.
Read more: Henry on Wikipedia
Where Henry is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Henry” around the world
Where Henry lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
85
babies in 2024
Ireland
#76
in 2025
New Zealand
#14
in 2025
Quebec
#67
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#6
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hank, Harry, Hal
Famous people named Henry
- Henry VIII · Tudor king of England
- Henry David Thoreau · American essayist and naturalist
- Henry Ford · founder of the Ford Motor Company
Sibling names for Henry
Names that share Henry's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Alice, Eleanor, Clara, Margaret, Josephine, Adeline, Amelia, Charlotte, Claire, Emma, Evelyn, Grace, Lillian, Lily, Lucy, Nora, Sophie, Adelaide, Agnes, Annabelle, Annie, Audrey, Beatrice, Callie, Caroline, Catherine, Charley, Clare, Clarissa, Constance, Diana, Edith, Elinor, Elisabeth, Elise, Eliza, Elizabeth, Ellen, Emerson, Florence, Georgia, Harriet, Harriett, Helen, Helena, Ida, Isabelle, Jane, Jennie, June, Katharine, Katherine, Laura, Lillie, Lilly, Louise, Lucille, Mabel, Madeline, Mae, Molly, Olive, Pauline, Rose, Rosemary, Tessa, Virginia, Vivian, Abbie, Adaline, Adelyne, Alyce, Anabelle, Annabel, Annabell, Annalise, Audry, Augusta, Azalea, Bellamy, Camellia, Camilla, Cathrine, Cathryn, Charli, Clair, Claira, Clarice, Delina, Easter, Eleanore, Emmaline, Emmeline, Estelle, Eugenie, Evalyn, Evelin, Evelina, Evelynn, Fanny, Felicity, Fredericka, Georgiana, Georgianna, Georgina, Gretta, Halley, Harlie, Harriette, Henrietta, Jenette, Katheryn, Kathryne, Lenora, Libby, Lilah, Lilian, Lilliann, Lillianna, Lilyann, Louisa, Lucie, Lucile, Madeleine, Maggie, Margery, Margot, Margret, Marguerite, Margurite, Marry, Matilda, Maude, Nelly, Norah, Pansy, Queen, Rosalee, Roselyn, Ruthie, Scarlette, Waverly, Willa, Alise, Anabell, Anny, Aveline, Beatrix, Cady, Camelia, Carolyne, Cate, Charolette, Delories, Dorthea, Elease, Elenor, Elenora, Elenore, Elinore, Elois, Emaline, Emeline, Emelyn, Emogene, Evaline, Eveline, Evelynne, Fredda, Fredricka, Georganna, Georgene, Graci, Gracy, Grayce, Haddie, Henretta, Irine, Jettie, Joye, Jozie, Lady, Leonore, Lilibeth, Lilie, Lillia, Lillyan, Lilyan, Lilyanne, Madaline, Madelin, Madelyne, Madelynne, Madlyn, Madolyn, Margaretta, Margarite, Mazie, Neely, Nonie, Rosalynn, Roselee, Thomasine, Adalaide, Adalena, Adalene, Addeline, Adeleine, Adelena, Adelie, Adelin, Adelynne, Aimie, Aleece, Alicen, Alyne, Annalea, Annarose, Annell, Audery, Berdie, Bronte, Cadie, Caraline, Chanie, Charle, Charlea, Charlott, Cicily, Clarie, Clarinda, Clary, Darlin, Dorothe, Dorothie, Elane, Elize, Ellagrace, Ellamarie, Ellanor, Ellenor, Ellice, Ellinor, Elloise, Ellorie, Ellouise, Elnore, Elyce, Elynor, Elysse, Emelin, Emiline, Emmalin, Emmelyn, Enna, Evalee, Evangelyn, Florie, Francies, Georgian, Graycee, Helaina, Helyn, Henryetta, Ivalee, Jeannett, Jenne, Jocie, Joeanna, Joesphine, Jorgia, Katerine, Katty, Leanore, Lilley, Linna, Lizzy, Lydiann, Lyllian, Madeliene, Magaret, Magdalyn, Maggi, Margart, Margeret, Marget, Masie, Maymie, Maysie, Nelli, Pheobe, Posie, Renie, Rosabel, Rosaleigh, Rosaly, Rosette, Rozena, Salley, Sophy, Viviann, Abagale, Adahlia, Adalei, Adalyne, Addaline, Adelae, Adelai, Adelaine, Adyline, Alizon, Allice, Allis, Ameilia, Angeleen, Annasophia, Attie, Avaline, Betha, Caro, Cecilee, Charlett, Charolett, Deysy, Edithe, Elain, Elanore, Eliabeth, Elizibeth, Ellamae, Elleanor, Ellenora, Ellenore, Elliotte, Emeree, Emilyanne, Emmalene, Emmalise, Evalyne, Evalynne, Evellyn, Evelyna, Eveny, Evett, Evvie, Geneveive, Georgana, Gertrue, Graciemae, Gwendolyne, Hallee, Hasset, Hawley, Hayde, Hayle, Hellena, Hether, Hiedi, Jackline, Jaine, Jenie, Jeorgia, Jessamy, Josaphine, Josephene, Josphine, Juliah, Juliett, Justa, Konstance, Laini, Lenor, Lilac, Lilas, Lillias, Lillieann, Lillien, Lucylle, Ludy, Mabell, Madaleine, Madelein, Madelena, Madeleyn, Madline, Margareth, Marguarite, Marrianne, Maryella, Maryon, Nyellie, Rosaland, Rosamary, Rosamund, Rosealee, Roselie, Roselin, Rosene, Rubyann, Sharlie, Sharlotte, Sophiamarie, Thomasa, Valyn, Vienne, Adlene, Annebelle, Arabel, Edye, Elliet, Francess, Lilibet, Sophiarose, Adamae, Agusta, Aloise, Analeise, Autumnrose, Barbera, Beatric, Bellagrace, Bessy, Cahterine, Caterin, Catherene, Ceciley, Christna, Dorothia, Elener, Eliz, Elizabelle, Elizabth, Ellakate, Ellanore, Ellenie, Elliemay, Ellierose, Elliett, Ellinore, Ellizabeth, Elynore, Emmabelle, Emmelina, Esmarie, Evalin, Evanie, Eveleigh, Francys, Georga, Gladyes, Grettell, Henchy, Hopie, Jennet, Joscelyne, Kateryn, Katheren, Kitti, Lauralie, Libbey, Lillan, Lilliane, Lilygrace, Lizbett, Louiza, Lousie, Lylianna, Madalen, Maddeline, Madelline, Margerie, Oliviarose, Phillipa, Rosalynd, Rosamae, Rosealie, Scarlettrose, Secily, Thursa, Victora, Viriginia, Vivyan
Brothers: Oliver, Theodore, Arthur, George, Samuel, Benjamin, Charles, Jack, James, John, Lucas, Silas, Thomas, William, Albert, Alfred, Beau, Calvin, Carl, Edgar, Edmond, Edward, Elliot, Elliott, Emmett, Ernest, Francis, Frank, Franklin, Frederick, Fredrick, Graham, Lawrence, Lewis, Louis, Max, Philip, Raymond, Richard, Tommy, Archer, Atticus, Beckett, Chas, Clovis, Edmund, Emmet, Frederic, Fredric, Garfield, Geoffrey, German, Gorge, Harris, Johnson, Kingsley, Rob, Russel, Sullivan, Theadore, Toney, Williams, Wilson, Abbott, Author, Authur, Benjamen, Bennet, Eliott, Geoff, Godfrey, Junious, Lawrance, Nicklaus, Phillips, Ramond, Sumner, Wiliam, Willaim, Willam, Willian, Andrews, Arthor, Aurthur, Bright, Carlous, Carlus, Charls, Edwards, Emitt, Ericson, Everet, Fleming, Geoffry, Geroge, Gilman, Harden, Hillery, Keene, Kennis, Lehman, Martyn, Nicholis, Olliver, Purcell, Rickard, Roben, Robet, Rodgers, Stephens, Thomes, Winson, York, Autrey, Bond, Chales, Chrles, Colen, Edwar, Everrett, Flem, Fredick, Fredis, Geffrey, Goerge, Jenkins, Jeoffrey, Jeorge, Lyonel, Needham, Nickoles, Ricahrd, Richar, Richerd, Robi, Royer, Tobby, Willim, Willliam, Willson, Anothy, Charlies, Dominyk, Ethanjames, Williom, Alekxander, Bedford, Charels, Charlis, Drury, Emett, Frasier, Fredderick, Geoge, Harvy, Hershey, Hever, Jamas, Nichlos, Nocholas, Olly, Ralphie, Richards, Sircharles, Stanlee, Thoams, Thomos, Thoms, Weber, Wilian, Wilkin
Names like Henry
Names whose popularity has moved with Henry's over the last 50 years.
