Will my child share the name Henry with classmates?

Unlikely. With around 2,295 UK babies named Henry per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Henry in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.

Is Henry becoming more or less popular in the UK?

Henry has been fairly steady, ranked #13 in 2025 against #11 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #10 in 2021.

What does the name Henry mean?

The name Henry has Germanic origins and means "Home ruler". Names with clear etymological roots tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles and give children a story to tell about their name.

Who are some famous people named Henry?

Notable people named Henry include: Thierry Henry and John W. Henry.

Is Henry a popular baby name in the United States?

Henry is very popular in the United States, ranked #5 in 2025. It's a transatlantic favourite used widely on both sides of the Atlantic.

👦 Boy's name ⭐ Popular UK #13

Henry

🗳️ Add Henry to a family shortlist

Henry is a popular choice in the UK, ranked #13 in 2025. There's a good chance they'll share their name with at least one classmate throughout school.

Origin & Meaning

Germanic — Home ruler

⭐

UK Rank 2025

#13

US Rank #5

About the Name Henry

Henry has held its ground, ranked #13 in 2025 and never far from its best of #10 in 2021 — a name with lasting rather than trend-driven appeal. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 30 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.

In terms of origin, Henry is rooted in Germanic, where it means "Home ruler". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.

Henry is one of the most popular names in the UK — yet even so, another Henry turns up in only about 1 class in 8.

It ranks similarly in the US at #5, suggesting broad transatlantic appeal.

⭐ Famous People Named Henry

Thierry Henry — Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional football coach, pundit, sports broadcaster, and former player.
Henry VIII — Henry VIII was King of England from 22 April 1509 until he died in 1547.
Henry V of England — Henry V, also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England from 1413 until his death in 1422.

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 Henry

2,295

UK babies named Henry (2025)

~0.1

Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)

~1.2

In a school of 600

→ Stable

Rank change (last 5 years)

🏫 Who else is in the room?

In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Henry

Around 1 class in 8 has another Henry

UK Popularity (1996–2025)

Rank and birth count · ONS official data

US Popularity (2020–2025)

Rank · SSA official data

✨ Similar names to Henry

Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story

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About the Name Henry

Meaning

Home rulerRuler of (the) homeRuler of the homeland

Name Day

July 13

Famous People Named Henry

Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia

Thierry Henryb. 1977

Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional football coach, pundit, sports broadcaster, and former player.

Henry VIIIHistorical

Henry VIII was King of England from 22 April 1509 until he died in 1547.

Henry V of EnglandHistorical

Henry V, also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England from 1413 until his death in 1422.

Henry VII of EnglandHistorical

Henry VII, also known as Henry Tudor, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizure of the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death in 1509.

John W. Henry

John William Henry II is an American businessman and the founder of John W.

Henry IV of England

Henry IV, also known as Henry Bolingbroke (having been born at Bolingbroke Castle), was King of England from 1399 to 1413, Lord of Ireland and duke of Aquitaine.

Henry Lee (forensic scientist)

Henry Chang-Yu Lee was a Chinese and American forensic scientist and biochemist.

Henry II of EnglandHistorical

Henry II5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189.

Henry

About the Name Henry

⭐ Famous People Named Henry

Frequently Asked Questions

🏫 Who else is in the room?

UK Popularity (1996–2025)

US Popularity (2020–2025)

✨ Similar names to Henry

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About the Name Henry

Famous People Named Henry

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