Harold
From a merger of Old English Hereweald and Old English Harold (itself from Old Norse Haraldr), both from Proto-Germanic *Harjawaldaz, from *harjaz (“army”) + *waldaz…
Every Harold since 1880 — 554,280 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Harold
Harold is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #993 in 2025 with 230 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 554,280 American babies have been named Harold. Its peak came in 1924, when 14,230 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Harold stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Harold year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 230 | #993 |
| 2024 | — | — | 227 | #989 |
| 2023 | — | — | 253 | #914 |
| 2022 | — | — | 250 | #925 |
| 2021 | — | — | 236 | #955 |
| 2020 | — | — | 238 | #932 |
| 2019 | — | — | 279 | #815 |
| 2018 | — | — | 284 | #797 |
| 2017 | — | — | 286 | #800 |
| 2016 | — | — | 288 | #802 |
| 2015 | — | — | 283 | #809 |
| 2014 | — | — | 272 | #830 |
| 2013 | — | — | 234 | #892 |
| 2012 | — | — | 261 | #836 |
| 2011 | — | — | 256 | #841 |
| 2010 | — | — | 305 | #745 |
| 2009 | — | — | 266 | #825 |
| 2008 | — | — | 312 | #735 |
| 2007 | — | — | 350 | #681 |
| 2006 | — | — | 356 | #650 |
| 2005 | — | — | 349 | #627 |
| 2004 | 6 | #14,814 | 350 | #613 |
| 2003 | — | — | 343 | #611 |
| 2002 | — | — | 363 | #588 |
| 2001 | — | — | 377 | #556 |
| 2000 | — | — | 406 | #538 |
| 1995 | — | — | 519 | #441 |
| 1990 | — | — | 771 | #324 |
| 1985 | 12 | #5,780 | 857 | #259 |
| 1980 | 12 | #5,647 | 1,189 | #207 |
| 1975 | 18 | #3,679 | 1,587 | #153 |
| 1970 | 20 | #3,242 | 2,726 | #122 |
| 1965 | 29 | #2,220 | 3,539 | #99 |
| 1960 | 27 | #2,265 | 4,679 | #92 |
| 1955 | 29 | #1,995 | 6,096 | #63 |
| 1950 | 22 | #2,078 | 7,214 | #45 |
| 1945 | 23 | #1,769 | 7,524 | #28 |
| 1940 | 35 | #1,256 | 8,080 | #23 |
| 1935 | 42 | #1,078 | 9,170 | #20 |
| 1930 | 68 | #870 | 11,660 | #18 |
| 1925 | 86 | #796 | 13,597 | #14 |
| 1920 | 66 | #896 | 13,678 | #12 |
| 1915 | 44 | #1,004 | 10,444 | #12 |
| 1910 | 12 | #1,374 | 1,909 | #18 |
| 1905 | 8 | #1,470 | 1,258 | #20 |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,636 | 1,245 | #20 |
| 1895 | 9 | #1,158 | 753 | #29 |
| 1890 | — | — | 408 | #47 |
| 1885 | — | — | 201 | #82 |
| 1880 | — | — | 113 | #116 |
Famous people named Harold
- Harold Harefoot Nobleman · 1016–1040
- Harold Wilson Politician · 1916–1995
- Harold Godwinson Politician · 1022–1066
- Harold Macmillan Politician · 1894–1986
- Harold Pinter Writer · 1930–2008
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Harold mean?
From a merger of Old English Hereweald and Old English Harold (itself from Old Norse Haraldr), both from Proto-Germanic *Harjawaldaz, from *harjaz (“army”) + *waldaz (“ruler, authority”).
How popular is the name Harold in 2025?
Harold ranked #993 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 230 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Harold?
554,280 babies have been named Harold in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Harold most popular?
Harold peaked in 1924, when 14,230 newborns received the name.
Is Harold a boy or girl name?
Harold is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Harold rising or falling?
Harold has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Harold?
Well-known people named Harold include Harold Harefoot (nobleman), Harold Wilson (politician), Harold Godwinson (politician).