Harold is a distinctive choice, ranked #1226 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Harold in their class.
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UK Rank 2025
#1226
US Rank #993
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About the Name Harold
Harold is steadily gaining in popularity, up 26 places over the past five years. Its best recorded rank was #394 in 1996, and it currently sits at #1025. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Harold is uncommon in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Harold in their class.
In the US it ranks even higher at #988, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Harold
Harold Ross — Harold Wallace Ross was an American journalist who co-founded The New Yorker magazine in 1925 with his wife Jane Grant, and was its editor-in-chief until his death.
Hide the Pain Harold — Hide the Pain Harold is an Internet meme based on a series of stock photos of András István Arató, a Hungarian retired electrical engineer and model.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Harold
Unlikely. With around 23 UK babies named Harold per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Harold in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Harold is declining: down 175 places since 2020, to #1,226 in 2025. It peaked at #394 in 1996.
Harold is more popular in the US (#988) than in the UK (#1025). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Harold include: Hide the Pain Harold, Harold Harefoot and Erika Harold. Short summaries for each appear below.
Harold ranks #988 in the US top 1,000 (2024). It's recognised in America but considerably more popular in the UK.
23
UK babies named Harold (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 175 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Harold
Almost certainly the only Harold in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Harold
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Harold Wallace Ross was an American journalist who co-founded The New Yorker magazine in 1925 with his wife Jane Grant, and was its editor-in-chief until his death.
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, was a British politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1976.