Harold
How to say it: HAR-uld · /ˈhærəld/
From Old English 'Hereweald' or Old Norse 'Haraldr': here/harr (army) + weald/valdr (ruler, power).
Harold was the 897th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 230 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1920s, its births are down about 18% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #970 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #897 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 230 |
| Share of births | 1 in 14,414 |
| Peak decade | 1920s |
| Change over 10 years | −18% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #970 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,664 among boys’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Once a leader in the 1920s, Harold has grown steadily rarer and now sits far below that height. More fading is forecast.
What goes with it
Weighty and mellow through two syllables, Harold carries breathy steadiness. Walter shares its gravity.
Nicknames
- Harry
- Hal
- Hare
Honouring a Harold in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Harold is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French, German.
In France: #1,664 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Harold
- Harold Pinter (1930–2008)British playwright
- Harold Macmillan (1894–1986)Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963
- Harold Wilson (1916–1995)Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1964-1970 and 1974-1976
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Harold Shipman, GP serial killer of 215+ patients
Keep exploring
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