Harper
Harper was the 16th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6,792 babies. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked 9th; the most babies were born in 2016 (10,803). Over the last ten years it has moved down 6 places. More babies were named Harper in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning harp player (surname) · English
Say it HAR-per /ˈhɑrpər/
- Rank in 2025
- #16 girls, down 6 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 6,792girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 201610,803 babies
- Total since 1880
- 145,832babies recorded
What does the name Harper mean?
Harper is an English (and Scottish and Irish) surname for someone who played the harp. It comes from Middle English harpere. As a first name it is a modern transfer from the surname. Wiktionary marks its use for girls as modern.
harpere (Middle English, “harper, harp player”)
How sure is this? Well established.
See also: English names, names from occupations.
Harper popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 6,769 since 1881, 77 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #16 | 6,792 |
| 2020 | #10 | 8,849 |
| 2010 | #120 | 2,634 |
| 2000 | #1,370 | 136 |
| 1990 | #7,028 | 12 |
| 1980 | #9,492 | 6 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Harper, counting every spelling?
Harper has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #25 for girls in 2025, against #16 on the official list, because Zoe/Zoey/Zooey and Camila/Kamila/Camilla and Lily/Lilly/Lillie move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Harper?
6,792 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Harper (1.88 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Harper born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 28. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Harper.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Harper?
About 138,100 people born in the US named Harper are alive today, with a median age of 9; half are between 5 and 12. That makes Harper a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Harper by state
How common Harper was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Wyoming (4.3×), Vermont (3.8×), Maine (2.8×), North Dakota (2.8×), New Hampshire (2.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in California, Texas, New York.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Harper: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Harper, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Harper · Sibling names for Harper
Questions about the name Harper
What does Harper mean?
Harper means “harp player (surname)” (English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Harper?
Harper was the 16th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6,792 babies. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked 9th; the most babies were born in 2016 (10,803). Over the last ten years it has moved down 6 places. More babies were named Harper in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Harper a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Harper in the US.
Where is Harper most popular?
In 2021–2025, Harper was most common in Wyoming (20.41 per 1,000 girls), followed by Vermont and Maine.