Henry
HEN-ree
Henry derives from Old High German Haimric: “haim” (home) and “ric” (power, ruler), meaning “ruler of the home estate.” The Proto-Germanic roots “*haimaz” and “*rīkijaz” connect it to Celtic “*rīgos” (king).
The Latinized form Henricus spread through Carolingian Europe.
The name entered England as Henry after the Norman Conquest of 1066. 8 English kings bore it, making Henry the most-used name in the royal line.
What the name Henry means
Henry V is immortalized in Shakespeare’s history plays. Henry VIII’s break with Rome and 6 marriages are among the most documented events in English history. On the continent, at least 7 Holy Roman Emperors were named Heinrich.
American bearers include Henry David Thoreau, Henry Ford, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The name stayed in the U.S. top 50 through most of the 20th century.
From the late 2000s, Henry rose sharply among parents favoring classic Victorian names. It entered the U.S. top 10 in 2017 and reached its all-time SSA peak of No. 6 in 2024 with 11,547 births.
Prince Henry (known as Harry), son of King Charles III, renewed the name’s media visibility from the 1990s onward.
European forms include Heinrich (German), Henri (French), Enrique (Spanish), Enrico (Italian), and Hendrik (Dutch). Few Germanic names match its cross-linguistic popularity.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Henry
Henry - similar names
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity
Ways to spell Henry
| Variant | Language |
|---|---|
| Hendrik | Dutch/Flemish |
| Hal | English medieval pet form |
| Harry | English pet form |
| Henri | French |
| Heinrich | German |
| Arrigo | Italian |
| Enzo | Italian pet form |
| Henrique | Portuguese |
| Henrik | Scandinavian |
| Enrique | Spanish |