Find out how popular the first name Hardy has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Hardy by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Hardy is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Hardy being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 39 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Hardy.

The history of the first name Hardy

The given name Hardy has its origins in the Germanic languages, where it is derived from the Old German word "hart," meaning "hardy" or "brave." The name likely emerged during the early medieval period when Germanic tribes inhabited various regions of Europe.

Hardy was a popular name among the Franks, a Germanic tribe that settled in what is now modern-day France and parts of Germany. It is believed that the name first gained prominence in the 6th century, as evidenced by references in Frankish chronicles and records from that period.

The name Hardy can also be traced back to Old English, where it was spelled as "Hardi" or "Haerdi." This version of the name was commonly used among the Anglo-Saxons, who inhabited parts of modern-day England and Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hardy appears in the 8th century, when a Frankish nobleman named Hardy of Reims is mentioned in historical texts. He was a prominent figure in the court of Charlemagne, the Frankish king and later Holy Roman Emperor.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Hardy. One of the most famous is Thomas Hardy, the English novelist and poet who lived from 1840 to 1928. His works, including "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" and "Far from the Madding Crowd," are regarded as classics of English literature.

Another prominent figure with the name Hardy was Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy, a British archivist and historian who lived from 1804 to 1878. He played a crucial role in preserving and organizing historical records in the British Public Record Office.

In the realm of science, Godfrey Harold Hardy, a renowned English mathematician born in 1877 and died in 1947, made significant contributions to number theory and mathematical analysis. He is remembered for his collaboration with the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.

Additionally, the name Hardy has been associated with notable figures in the world of sports. One example is Hardy Kilgour, a Canadian ice hockey player who was born in 1914 and played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1930s and 1940s.

Finally, the name Hardy has been carried by individuals in the entertainment industry, such as Hardy Krüger, a German actor born in 1928 who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Hardy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hardy, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!