Henry
Henry is a boys' name of German origin meaning “ruler of the home.” It ranked #5 in the United States in 2025. Henry derives from the Germanic 'Heinrich' meaning 'ruler of the home.'
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how do you pronounce Henry?
HEN-ree
where does the name Henry come from?
From the Germanic Heimirich, joining heim, meaning home or estate, with ric, meaning ruler or power. The sense is ruler of the household in the territorial rather than domestic meaning — the lord of an estate, not the head of a family.
Eight English kings bore the name. Its combination of royal gravitas and warm, friendly sound has kept it firmly in the top 10 for years.
how popular is this name?
Henry has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 146 years since 1880. It peaked at #5 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #5 |
| 2024 | #6 |
| 2023 | #8 |
| 2022 | #7 |
| 2021 | #9 |
| 2020 | #9 |
| 2019 | #13 |
| 2018 | #16 |
| 2017 | #19 |
| 2016 | #22 |
| 2010 | #67 |
| 2000 | #126 |
| 1990 | #138 |
| 1980 | #135 |
| 1970 | #104 |
| 1960 | #84 |
| 1950 | #47 |
| 1940 | #31 |
| 1930 | #22 |
| 1920 | #17 |
| 1910 | #10 |
| 1900 | #10 |
| 1890 | #9 |
| 1880 | #9 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Henry fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Henry
Eight English kings bore the name, and between them they broke with Rome, won Agincourt and ended the Wars of the Roses, so no other English royal name carries quite the same weight of incident. The French form Henri gave four kings of France. After drifting for much of the twentieth century it returned strongly, and now sits in the American and British top twenty.
what are the nicknames and variants of Henry?
Nicknames
who are famous people named Henry?
- Henry VIII (King of England)
- Henry David Thoreau (American philosopher)
- Henry Cavill (British actor)
what names are similar to Henry?
what names go well with Henry?
Sibling names that share Henry's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Henry
What does the name Henry mean?
Henry means “ruler of the home”.
What is the origin of the name Henry?
Henry comes from the German naming tradition. Related forms include Henri, Heinrich, Enrique and Hendrik.
How popular is the name Henry?
Henry ranked #5 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 2025, at #5, and it has spent 146 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Henry a boy or girl name?
Henry is primarily a boys' name.
How do you pronounce Henry?
Henry is pronounced HEN-ree, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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