Harriett
Harriett was the 6641st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 17 babies. Its best year was 1880, when it ranked 156th; the most babies were born in 1920 (585). Over the last ten years it has moved up 3,759 places. More babies were named Harriett in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Harriet) feminine of Harry (Henry) · English, French, Germanic
- Rank in 2025
- #6,641 girls, up 5,991 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 17girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1920585 babies
- Total since 1880
- 21,626babies recorded
What does the name Harriett mean?
Harriett is a spelling of Harriet, pronounced the same way, so it shares Harriet's meaning and origin.
Harriet is an English form of French Henriette, the feminine of Henri (Henry), as Wiktionary notes; DMNES treats it as a diminutive of Harry, the English spelling of Henry that reflects the French pronunciation, and records Haryet in England from 1559. Henry comes from Germanic heim 'home' and rīc 'ruler'. Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe are famous American bearers.
heim (Old High German, “home”)rīc (Old High German, “ruler”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Henrietta, Hattie, Harry, Henry.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Harriet', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Harriet', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Harriett popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 5 since 1940.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,641 | 17 |
| 2020 | #12,632 | 7 |
| 2010 | #17,978 | 5 |
| 2000 | #15,926 | 5 |
| 1990 | #7,491 | 11 |
| 1980 | #3,023 | 29 |
| 1970 | #1,606 | 59 |
| 1960 | #840 | 152 |
| 1950 | #514 | 252 |
| 1940 | #380 | 304 |
| 1930 | #372 | 330 |
| 1920 | #270 | 585 |
| 1910 | #290 | 177 |
| 1900 | #267 | 150 |
| 1890 | #228 | 114 |
| 1880 | #156 | 83 |
How popular is Harriett, counting every spelling?
Harriett is a spelling of Harriet, a name family that ranked #990 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #6,641 for Harriett on its own. Together these spellings went to 243 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harriet | 226 | #1,073 | 1,108 |
| Harriett | 17 | #6,641 | 57 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Harriett?
17 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Harriett (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Harriett born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 495 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Harriett.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Harriett?
About 5,500 people born in the US named Harriett are alive today, with a median age of 75; half are between 65 and 82. That makes Harriett a name most people associate with older generations.
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.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Harriett: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Harriett, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Harriett
What does Harriett mean?
Harriett is a spelling of Harriet, which means “feminine of Harry (Henry)” (English, French, Germanic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Harriett?
Harriett was the 6641st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 17 babies. Its best year was 1880, when it ranked 156th; the most babies were born in 1920 (585). Over the last ten years it has moved up 3,759 places. More babies were named Harriett in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Harriett a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Harriett in the US.