Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Henry
BoyGermanic, English· “ruler of the home”
- Meaning
- ruler of the home
- Origin
- Germanic, English
- Pronunciation
- HEHN-ree
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #5
- US babies 2025
- 12,020
- Best rank
- #5 (2025)
- Peak year
- 2025
Meaning and origin of Henry
Henry is a Germanic and English name that means “ruler of the home”.
Henry comes from the Germanic Heimirich, made up of heim, "home", and ric, "ruler" or "power", giving the meaning "ruler of the home". The Normans brought it to England, where it became a royal name borne by eight English kings, including Henry VIII of the Tudor dynasty. It was equally important in France as Henri and in Germany as Heinrich. Henry David Thoreau, the American essayist, and Henry Ford, the automaker, are famous bearers. For generations Hal, Harry and Hank served as nicknames. Today Henry feels gentlemanly, warm and classic, and it has returned strongly as a modern favorite.
Other spellings with the same sound: Henri.
Famous parents who chose Henry: Sofia Richie Grainge and Elliot Grainge (2026). More celebrity baby names
Popularity over time
Henry has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 146 different years. It is at its all-time high right now: 2025 brought both its best national rank, #5, and its highest count, 12,020 babies. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #17 in 1920, #47 in 1950, #135 in 1980, #126 in 2000, #67 in 2010, and #5 in 2025. Of the 768,945 US boys named Henry since records began, 14% were born in the 1920s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 92,585 babies. Since 2010, 160,632 more have been named Henry.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Mateo, Theodore, Elias, Ezra, and Luca.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Henry ranked highest in Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Montana.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | #2 | 313 |
| New Hampshire | #2 | 77 |
| Montana | #2 | 58 |
| North Dakota | #2 | 49 |
| Massachusetts | #3 | 372 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Henry is usually pronounced HEHN-ree, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with H and ends in “-ry”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Henri.
Middle names for Henry
A few middle names that flow with Henry: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Henry
Similar names
Harry Boy
HAIR-ee
“home ruler (form of Henry)” · English
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WIHL-yuhm
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Richard Boy
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“brave ruler” · Germanic
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Rory Unisex
ROR-ee
“red king” · Irish
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Frederick Boy
FREHD-rihk
“peaceful ruler” · Germanic
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Landry Unisex
LAN-dree
“land ruler” · French
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Roderick Boy
RAHD-rihk
“famous ruler” · Germanic
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Lists that include Henry
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Henry mean?
Henry is a Germanic and English name that means “ruler of the home”.
What is the origin of the name Henry?
Henry has Germanic and English roots. Henry comes from the Germanic Heimirich, made up of heim, "home", and ric, "ruler" or "power", giving the meaning "ruler of the home".
Is Henry a popular name?
Yes. Henry ranked #5 in the US in 2025, which makes it one of the 100 most popular names.
Is Henry a boy or girl name?
Henry is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Henry?
Henry is usually pronounced HEHN-ree. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings