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Home › Baby Names Directory › Harbor

Harbor

♀ Girl

Pronounced HAR-bər /ˈhɑr.bər/High

Meaning: A sheltered port; from Old English herebeorg, 'shelter, lodging' — a word name meaning safe havenHigh

In 30 seconds: A name that promises what every home should be: Harbor means safe haven — the calm water where ships rest. Nautical, tender, and newly arrived on birth certificates.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningA sheltered port; from Old English herebeorg, 'shelter, lodging' — a word name meaning safe haven
U.S. rank (2025)#2971 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births56 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2018
Total births (all-time)≈ 838

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202120062025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Harbor is the English word for a sheltered port, descended from Old English herebeorg, 'lodging, shelter' — the same root as French auberge, the inn. As a given name it belongs to the 2010s-20s word-name wave, sailing beside Ocean, Bay, and True; celebrity use (including NFL and influencer families) brought it ashore.

It is used for both sexes, slightly more for girls, and remains very rare. The meaning needs no explanation — which is exactly its appeal.

Did you know? Old English herebeorg — Harbor's ancestor — literally meant 'army shelter'; a thousand years sanded the war out of it, leaving only refuge.
Overall data confidence 90%
Oxford English Dictionary — harbour — word etymology

Variations

HarbourHarbor Rose

Nicknames

HarbieBo

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Harbor…

Haven— the synonym word name that rose first
Ocean— the open-water sibling of the same wave
Marina— the classic name meaning 'of the sea'
Sailor— a fellow English choice
Hollyn— the same modern feel

Explore names like Harbor

By thememodernword-namenautical

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Harbor mean?

Harbor is the English word for a sheltered port — from Old English for 'shelter, lodging' — used as a name meaning safe haven.

How do you pronounce Harbor?

It's said HAR-bər /ˈhɑr.bər/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Harbor a boy or girl name?

Harbor is used for both sexes, slightly more for girls; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Harbor?

Harbor is a very rare, recently adopted word name in the U.S.

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