Harold is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Harold means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Harold across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Harold has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Harold is a boy name of Old English origin meaning “army ruler”. borne by the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 554,280 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 725 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 18 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 161 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Harold per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1924 (14,230/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (54/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1965 (15/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (5/yr).
Harold has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1924, when it ranked #24 nationally (given to 14,230 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Harrold · Herald · Herold · Harald · Hearld · Hearold · Horald · Heraldo
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