Harold Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Harold is an Old English name meaning 'army ruler', evolving from 'Hereweald'. It gained popularity after the Norman Conquest and is associated with historical figures. The name carries a traditional connotation and has seen some modern revival, with notable bearers throughout history.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Harold"
Pronunciation
/ˈhærəld/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name Harold is derived from the Old English name 'Hereweald', which is composed of the elements 'here' meaning 'army' and 'weald' meaning 'power' or 'ruler'.
Meaning
Army ruler
Language Evolution
Hereweald, Herald, Harold
Historical Usage
The name Harold gained popularity in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066, largely due to its association with several kings and noble figures.
Variants & Derivatives
Harry, Hal, Hare
Modern Popularity & Image
Today, Harold is perceived as a traditional name, often associated with older generations, but it has seen a slight revival in recent years.
Famous People
Harold II of England, Harold Pinter, Harold Arlen
📊 Harold Name Trend Analysis
Boy Name Trend
Recent 3-Year Analysis
Girl Name Trend
Recent 3-Year Analysis
Explore More Harold Name Visualizations
✨ Harold Name Meaning & Significance
Popularity Trend
Highly Popular name with 14,230 peak births in 1924
Geographic Spread
Popular across 51 US states, with strongest presence in West Virginia
Historical Span
Data spanning 145 years from 1880 to 2024, showing long-term trends
Generational Impact
Influenced 13 different American generations with varying popularity
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Harold"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Harold"
"Harold" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 13th of 7545 | 200,510 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 21st of 6773 | 168,752 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 62nd of 7552 | 116,744 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 136th of 10718 | 34,196 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 304th of 16616 | 12,259 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 641st of 24088 | 5,547 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 859th of 23106 | 3,126 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 949th of 9107 | 1,032 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 1126th of 9204 | 792 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 2383rd of 12526 | 420 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 3769th of 19264 | 268 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 10374th of 27321 | 89 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 33240th of 35406 | 6 |
Regional Popularity of "Harold" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
0.78% 11th/1416 |
1.16% 16th/1379 |
0.97% 23rd/2366 |
1.14% 13th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
1.49% 23rd/1546 |
1.74% 27th/1556 |
0.89% 21st/2353 |
1.68% 26th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
2.83% 63rd/2227 |
2.72% 66th/2430 |
1.72% 49th/2853 |
3.21% 89th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
4.63% 136th/2937 |
3.67% 128th/3483 |
3.10% 109th/3518 |
4.97% 201st/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
8.47% 312th/3685 |
6.28% 281st/4475 |
5.12% 266th/5194 |
6.70% 423rd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
14.86% 681st/4582 |
10.48% 541st/5164 |
7.92% 579th/7313 |
11.23% 838th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
20.91% 833rd/3984 |
17.76% 797th/4487 |
12.91% 881st/6822 |
15.97% 1002nd/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Harold" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
46.96% 665th/1416 |
56.13% 774th/1379 |
64.33% 1522nd/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
68.11% 1053rd/1546 |
73.52% 1144th/1556 |
64.47% 1517th/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
100.00% 2227th/2227 |
100.00% 2430th/2430 |
- | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - |
100.00% 4044th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Harold"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Harold" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.
Comprehensive Regional & Generational Popularity Trends of "Harold" in the United States
The name Harold is most popular in West Virginia, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the G.I. Generation generation in the MidWest region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Harold has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Harold' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 13th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 21st out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 62nd out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 136th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 304th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 641st out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 859th out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 949th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 1126th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 2383rd out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 3769th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 10374th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 33240th out of 35406 names. Discover how the name 'Harold' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.