Harris

Harris - A very unique male name

Harris appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #473. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Harris and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Harris? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Harris. The baby boy name Harris was given to 94 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1322 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 15,599 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Harris peaked in popularity 111 years ago in 1915 on position 383.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Harris, 1-5?

Harris is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Harris is currently topping the baby name charts in Alabama at position #494 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,064.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Harris is where you live.

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Harris origin and meaning

English surname, transferred

'Son of Harry' — a patronymic surname; Harry itself is the medieval form of Henry, 'home ruler'

Harris is a classic transferred surname, formed in the Middle Ages to mean Harry's son. As a first name it peaked in 1921 and has been a low, steady presence ever since. It is currently drifting down from a modest recent revival.

Attested etymology

Harris is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Harris, pop culture references for the name Harris and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Harris

We've found the following names that sound similar to Harris, sorted by popularity.

Horace / Horacio / Hiroshi / Hershy / Haris / Hersh / Harsh / Hargis / Haruki / Hiroki /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Harris

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Harris a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Harris?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

HARR-is · /ˈhærɪs/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Haris — Single-r spelling, also a separate Arabic and Greek name

Nicknames: Harry

Famous bearers

• Harris Dickinson — English actor, star of The King's Man and Triangle of Sadness (b. 1996) Contemporary
• Harris Wofford — United States Senator from Pennsylvania and civil rights adviser (1926–2019) Contemporary

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Harris for its surname polish — preppy and solid like Harrison, but shorter and far less used.

Worth knowing

• Easily confused with Harrison, and shortened to Harry whether you plan it or not.
• Strongly associated in recent years with the surname of public figures rather than as a first name.