What Does the Name Henry Mean?
Henry is a boy's name of Germanic origin meaning “home ruler.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Henry |
|---|---|
| Gender | male |
| Origin | Germanic |
| Meaning | home ruler |
| Variants | Harry, Henri, Enrique, Heinrich, Hank |
| Popularity | Returned to the US top 10 in the early 2020s |
The meaning and origin of Henry
The name Henry means “home ruler” and has Germanic origins. Henry comes from the Germanic Heimirich, combining 'heim' (home) and 'ric' (ruler, power). Borne by eight English kings, it has seen a strong revival as a stylish classic.
Variants and related names
Henry is related to several other names you may recognize: Harry, Henri, Enrique, Heinrich, Hank. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Henry?
Returned to the US top 10 in the early 2020s
Popularity matters when you need believable test data: a name that fits the era or region you are modeling makes a generated profile look real. You can generate a complete fictional profile using the name Henry below.
Generate a fake Henry profile
Need a complete fictional identity using the name Henry? Generate a full profile — address, phone, email and more — for testing and privacy.
Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Henry mean?+
The name Henry means “home ruler” and is of Germanic origin.
What is the origin of the name Henry?+
Henry originates from Germanic.
Is Henry a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Henry has trended in the US over time.
Henry by gender
More boy's names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press