Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Harriet

Harriet

♀ Girl

Pronounced HAIR-ee-et /ˈhɛər.i.ɛt/High

Meaning: Home ruler; an English feminine form of Harry/Henry, from Germanic Heimirich (heim: home + ric: ruler, power)High

In 30 seconds: An English feminine form of Harry/Henry meaning 'home ruler,' from Germanic Heimirich. It carries the immense moral authority of Harriet Tubman and the sharp Victorian wit of Harriet Beecher Stowe — and is currently at the forefront of the grandma-name revival.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighGermanic, English
MeaningHome ruler; an English feminine form of Harry/Henry, from Germanic Heimirich (heim: home + ric: ruler, power)
U.S. rank (2025)#1073 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births226 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1921
Total births (all-time)≈ 90,302

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192118802025

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

Harriet is the English feminine of Harry, itself a medieval English form of Henry, from Germanic Heimirich (heim: home, estate; ric: ruler, power). The name was common in the 18th–19th centuries in England and America.

Harriet peaked in the U.S. in the late 19th–early 20th century and fell through the mid-20th century. It is now rising sharply as one of the leading grandma-name revivals, ranked #1157 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Harriet Tubman (c.1822–1913) — born Araminta Ross — chose Harriet when she escaped slavery, naming herself after her mother. Her network of escapes as a conductor of the Underground Railroad freed approximately 70 enslaved people across 13 missions.
Overall data confidence 93%
Behind the Name — Harriet — Germanic/English etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

HarrietteHarrietta

Nicknames

HattieHattieHarriHarry

Famous Bearers

  • ★Harriet Tubman (1822–1913)
    American abolitionist and activist who escaped slavery and conducted approximately 13 missions to rescue around 70 enslaved people via the Underground Railroad.
  • ★Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896)
    American author of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), whose anti-slavery novel galvanized opposition to slavery before the Civil War.

If you like Harriet…

Hattie— the common diminutive of Harriet, from the same root
Henrietta— the full Latinate feminine form of the same Henry/Harry root
Florence— Victorian feminine name enjoying the same revival
Dorothy— classic early-20th-century name on the same vintage arc
Eleanor— elegant early-20th-century name that led the revival movement

Explore names like Harriet

By themeenglishclassicvintagegermanicthree-syllablevictorianretro-revival
By meaningStrengthRoyal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Harriet mean?

Harriet means 'home ruler,' as the English feminine form of Harry/Henry, from Germanic Heimirich (heim: home + ric: ruler).

How do you pronounce Harriet?

It's said HAIR-ee-et — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Harriet a boy or girl name?

Harriet is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Harriet?

Harriet ranked #1157 for U.S. girls in 2024 and is rising as a vintage revival choice.

💬 Ask Nia