Origin, Meaning, And History Of Harold
Harold is a modern English name usually given to boys. It was derived from the Old Germanic name Hajrawald. The meaning of the name can be divided into two parts, ‘heri’ or ‘hari,’ meaning ‘army’ and ‘wald’ signifying ‘rule.’ A combination of these two meanings can be interpreted as ‘army ruler,’ ‘army king,’ or simply ‘commander.’
Its origins may also be associated with the Old Swedish and Old Danish name Harald or the Old Norse name Haraldr. A rough translation of these names can be given as ‘to be strong.’ In English, the name is used as an occupational name derived from the French word ‘herau(l)t’ and the Middle English word ‘herau(l)d.’
It has also been used as a surname in many countries but was first recorded in Argyllshire in western Scotland. The Anglo-Saxon meaning of the surname is ‘the love of the army,’ which is later translated as ‘powerful warrior.’
在贝德福德郡,最初是作为名称place name. It was derived from the Old English words ‘hār’, meaning ‘gray,’ and ‘wald’, meaning ‘a huge woodland area,’ or ‘high woodland area.’ Combining these two meanings, the name ultimately means a ‘large gray woodland area.’
A few spelling variations of the family name are Harald, Hurrell, Hirell, and Harrell.
作为一个名字,它也是拼写不同交流ross the European continent, which includes variations like Harri in Finnish and Welsh, Haraldur in Icelandic, Haroldo in Portuguese and Spanish, and Aroldo or Eraldo in Italian.
The name Harold has been overly used in different genres of the fictional world. Harold Berman is one of the characters on the Nickelodeon animated showHey Arnold! Harold Buttowksi is another animated character from the Disney XD seriesKick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil.
Harold Hutchins appears as the main character in the comic book seriesCaptain Underpants. Additionally, Harold is a character found in the animated musical fantasy adventure filmAll Dogs Go To Heaven.
It can be understood that the graph of the name witnessed a positive curve, from being used in European countries to getting popular in the western world due to pop culture. Hence, it can be a classic name for a baby boy.
Harold
How To Pronounce Harold?
Famous People With The Name Harold
- Harold BloomAmerican literary critic known as the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world
- Harold David GoldsmithAmerican Olympic foil and epee fencer, won gold and silver medals in the Pan American Games in 1955 and 1959
- Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr.American actor, television director, and screenwriter, won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
- Harold NorseAmerican writer, winner of the National Poetry Association award and two-time NEA grant recipient
- Harold PerrineauAmerican actor, won a Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006 and a NAACP Image Awards in 2020
- Harold Allen RamisAmerican actor, comedian, director and writer, famous for his role as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II
- Harold SolomonAmerican former professional tennis player, ranked No. 5 in singles in 1980, and of No. 4 in doubles in 1976
Harold On The Popularity Chart
The name Harold is seen to be decreasing in popularity based on the graphs provided by the SSA. Check the data from the graphs below for better insight.
Popularity Over Time
The popularity of the name Harold is seen to be going downhill consistently. It was at its peak in 1980 with 1,191 million babies using the name and then came down to just 230 babies per million in 2021.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
The ranking of the name declined till 2007 when it stood at 21,253. It started to improve in the following years and stood at 18,379 in 2020.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sounds As Harold
If the sound of Harold appeals to you, we have a few more name suggestions with a similar phonetic style.
Popular Sibling Names For Harold
Other Popular Names Beginning With H
Names With Similar Meaning As Harold
If the meaning of Harold appeals to you, have a look at some more names that share a similar connotation.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
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How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
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In Sign Language
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In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Harold
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Harold?
The name Harold means ‘army ruler’ or ‘commander.’
2. What is the origin of the name Harold?
Harold is of German origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Harold?
Harold is pronounced as ha-rold.
4. Is Harold a popular baby name?
Harold used to be a fairly popular baby boy name in the United States in the 1980s and 90s. But from the early 2000s, the usage of the name has slightly decreased while remaining among the top 1000 ranking names as of 2022 (1).
5. Is Harold an old name?
Harold may be considered a timeless traditional name. It is derived from an Old English name whose roots go earlier than the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.
6. What is the female version of Harold?
You may consider Haroldene as a feminine version of Harold. The name has German, Norse, and Scandinavian origins and carries a similar meaning as Harold, signifying ‘mighty ruler.’
7. Is Harold an Irish name?
No, Harold is an English name derived from Old Danish Harald, Old English Hereweald, and Old German Herold. However, as a surname, it may have derived from Irish, one of which is Ó hArailt.
References:
- Popularity of name Harold
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
