How to say it
HEN · ree
ˈhɛn.ri
Masculine
Henry
Home ruler
What it means
From the Germanic Heimirich, made from heim (home) and rīc (ruler, king). The steady manager rather than the conquering type.
Henry passed through Norman French as Henri and gave England eight kings of the same name across five centuries. Heinrich is the German form, Enrique the Spanish, Enrico the Italian, Henri the French, all the same Germanic root in different mouths. Henry held quietly steady in the US for a century, then climbed into the top twenty in the 2010s, helped by Prince Harry (born Henry Charles Albert David) and the broader return of classic Anglo names. Daily-life short forms: Hank, Harry, Hal.
How to spell Henry
The standard spelling is Henry. Common variants include Heinrich, Enrique, Enrico, Henri, Harry, but Henry is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #5 in 2025, currently #5 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Harry is the long-established short (Prince Harry's full name is Henry); Hank is the American-football-coach short. Pick what you want to hear most.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- King Henry VIII 16th-century English monarch with six wives
- Henry David Thoreau American transcendentalist, Walden
- Henry Cavill British actor, Superman and The Witcher
- Prince Henry of Wales Prince Harry's full given name
Spelling variants
- Heinrich
- Enrique
- Enrico
- Henri
- Harry
Names with the same feeling
See Henry from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Henry mean?
- From the Germanic Heimirich, made from heim (home) and rīc (ruler, king). The steady manager rather than the conquering type.
- What does Henry mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, Henry means "Home ruler." Henry passed through Norman French as Henri and gave England eight kings of the same name across five centuries. Heinrich is the German form, Enrique the Spanish, Enrico the Italian, Henri the French, all the same Germanic root in different mouths. Henry held quietly steady in the US for a century, then climbed into the top twenty in the 2010s, helped by Prince Harry (born Henry Charles Albert David) and the broader return of classic Anglo names. Daily-life short forms: Hank, Harry, Hal.
- How do you pronounce Henry?
- Henry is pronounced ˈhɛn.ri. Say it as HEN-ree, with the stress on the "hen" syllable.
- How do you spell Henry?
- The standard spelling is Henry. Common spelling variants include Heinrich, Enrique, Enrico, Henri, Harry.
- Is Henry a boy or girl name?
- Henry is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Henry?
- Henry ranked #5 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.