Harold
Literal root meaning: “army + ruler, authority”
About the name Harold
Harold is a boy name with Proto-Germanic roots, literally “army + ruler, authority”.
It has a classic feel. In 2025, Harold ranked #993 for boys in the US, with 230 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 1947. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Harold were boys.
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic, meaning “army” + “ruler, authority”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Harold”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #993
- In 2015
- #809
- Babies in 2025
- 230
Popularity of Harold, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Names similar to Harold
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.