Baby names starting with H
56 names beginning with H, each with an editorial meaning and origin note and its real popularity rank from the 2025 U.S. Social Security Administration data. Rank is U.S.-only and reflects how records are grouped in that source.
- Hadassah Hebrew Hadassah = myrtle; the Hebrew name of Esther
- Hadlee respelling of Hadley, an English place name and surname from Old English 'haeth' = heath + 'leah' = wood, clearing
- Hadleigh modern respelling of Hadley, an English place-name surname, from Old English 'haeth' = heather, heath + 'leah' = clearing
- Hadley transferred surname from an English place name, from Old English 'haeth' = heather, heath + 'leah' = wood, clearing
- Hailey respelling of Hayley, a transferred surname from an English place name, Old English 'heg' = hay + 'leah' = wood, clearing
- Haisley modern American coinage in the -ley pattern (compare Hadley, Paisley); the ending is from English place names, Old English 'leah' = clearing
- Halle usually a respelling of Hallie, a pet form of Harriet; in America associated with the actress Halle Berry, said to have been named after a Cleveland department store
- Hallie pet form of Harriet, the English feminine of Henry, from Germanic 'heim' = home + 'ric' = power, ruler; also used as a short form of Haley
- Halo from the English word for a ring of light, Greek 'halos', which first meant a threshing floor and then any disk; a modern name
- Hamza Arabic, from a root meaning strong, steadfast, and often glossed as lion; the name of the Prophet's uncle
- Hana Japanese 'hana' = flower; also Arabic Hana' = happiness, contentment, and a Slavic form of Hannah
- Hank medieval English pet form of Henry by way of Hankin; reinforced in America by the Dutch Henk
- Hanna spelling of Hannah usual in German and Scandinavian use, from Hebrew Channah = 'favour, grace'
- Hannah from Hebrew Channah = 'favour, grace'
- Harlan surname from an English place name, Old English 'har' = grey, or boundary, + 'land'
- Harlee modern respelling of Harley, from an English place name, from Old English 'haer' = rock, heap of stones (or 'hara' = hare) + 'leah' = clearing, wood
- Harley transferred English surname, from a place name: Old English 'haer' = rock, heap of stones (or 'hara' = hare) + 'leah' = wood, clearing
- Harlow transferred English place name and surname, from Old English 'here' = army or 'hearg' = heathen temple + 'hlaw' = hill, mound
- Harmoni respelling of Harmony, from Greek 'harmonia' = joining, agreement, concord; also Harmonia, wife of Cadmus in Greek myth
- Harmony from the English word, Greek 'harmonia' = a joining, agreement, concord
- Harper occupational surname for a player of the harp, from Old English 'hearpe'
- Harriet English feminine form of Harry, the medieval English form of Henry, from Germanic 'heim' = home + 'ric' = ruler; 'home ruler'
- Harrison transferred surname meaning 'son of Harry', Harry being the medieval English form of Henry, from Germanic 'heim' = home + 'ric' = power, ruler
- Harry medieval English form of Henry, from Germanic 'haim' = home + 'ric' = power, ruler; 'home ruler'
- Harvey from the Breton Haerviu, 'haer' = battle + 'viu' = worthy; brought to England by Breton settlers after the Conquest
- Hasan Arabic 'hasan' = good, handsome, beautiful
- Hassan Arabic Hasan, from 'hasuna' = to be good, to be handsome
- Hattie pet form of Harriet, the English feminine of Henry, from Germanic 'haim' = home + 'ric' = power, ruler
- Haven English word name, from Old English 'haefen' = harbour, port; hence a place of shelter and safety
- Hayden transferred surname from English place names, Old English 'heg' = hay + 'denu' = valley, or 'dun' = hill
- Hayes transferred surname, either English from Old English 'haes' = brushwood, or Irish from O hAodha, 'descendant of Aodh', Aodh meaning 'fire'
- Hayley transferred English surname from a place name, from Old English 'heg' = hay + 'leah' = clearing
- Hazel from the tree and its nut, Old English 'haesel'; one of the plant names taken up as girls' names in the 19th century
- Haziel from Hebrew 'hazah' = to see, to have a vision + 'el' = God; 'vision of God', borne in the Book of Chronicles by a Levite
- Heather English plant name, the flowering shrub of moors and heaths, from Middle English 'hather'
- Heaven from the English word, Old English 'heofon'; a modern devotional name
- Heavenly English word name, from Old English 'heofonlic' = of the heavens
- Hector Greek Hektor, from 'echein' = to hold, to hold fast; the defender of Troy
- Heidi German pet form of Adelheid (Adelaide), 'adal' = noble + 'heid' = kind, sort; known worldwide from Johanna Spyri's novel
- Helen from Greek Helene, of debated root, connected by some with 'helene' = torch and by others with a word for the sun
- Helena Latinate form of Greek Helene, of uncertain meaning, often connected with 'helene' = torch or 'selene' = moon; borne by Helen of Troy and by St Helena, mother of Constantine
- Hendrix transferred Dutch surname, a patronymic from Hendrik, the Dutch form of Henry (Germanic 'haim' = home + 'ric' = power, ruler); modern use is largely after the guitarist Jimi Hendrix
- Henley English place name and surname, from Old English 'heah' = high + 'leah' = wood, clearing
- Henry from the Germanic Haimirich, 'heim' = home, estate + 'ric' = power, ruler; 'ruler of the household'
- Hezekiah from Hebrew Chizqiyahu = 'Yahweh strengthens'
- Holden transferred English surname and place name, from Old English 'hol' = hollow, deep + 'denu' = valley
- Holland from the Dutch region, from Middle Dutch 'holt lant' = wood land; also an English surname from places of the same name
- Holly from the tree, Old English 'holegn'; its use at Christmas made it a favourite for girls born in December
- Hope from the English word, Old English 'hopa'; one of the Puritan virtue names
- Houston Scottish surname from a place near Glasgow, 'Hugh's settlement'; also the Texas city, named for Sam Houston
- Howard English surname of debated origin: either Germanic Hughard, from 'hug' = heart, mind + 'hard' = brave, or Norse Havardr, from 'ha' = high + 'vardr' = guardian
- Hudson transferred surname meaning 'son of Hudde', a medieval pet form of Hugh; in America also felt as a nod to the Hudson River
- Hugh from the Germanic 'hug' = heart, mind, spirit
- Hugo Latinized form of Hugh, from the Germanic 'hug' = heart, mind, spirit
- Hunter occupational surname for a huntsman, from Old English 'hunta'
- Huxley transferred surname, from Huxley in Cheshire, probably from an Old English personal name Hucc + 'leah' = wood, clearing
Only names carrying a meaning note are listed here. Popularity-only records exist for many more spellings and are reachable through the full directory search.
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