Harlis
A masculine name of German origin meaning "dweller by the army camp".
Name Census estimates that about 55 living Americans carry the first name Harlis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Harlis today is around 80 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Harlis births was 1937 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Harlis. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Harlis is about 80 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Harlis' were born before 1956.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Harlis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
55
~ 1 in 6,231,897 Americans
Peak year
1937
11 babies that year
Average age
80
years old
1963 SSA rank
#4,286
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Harlis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Harlis from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 78 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Harlis by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Harlis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Harlis
The name Harlis has its origins in ancient Germanic languages, traced back to the 5th century CE. It is derived from the Old High German word "haril" meaning "army" or "warrior," combined with the suffix "-is," a common ending in Germanic names indicating lineage or belonging.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Harlis can be found in the Frankish chronicles of the 6th century, where it is mentioned as the name of a chieftain who led his tribe in battles against invading forces. The name's association with strength and military prowess likely stemmed from this historical reference.
In the 9th century, a Benedictine monk named Harlis is noted for his contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts and the advancement of scriptural studies in the monasteries of present-day Germany. His name appears in various monastic records and historical accounts of the period.
During the Middle Ages, the name Harlis gained prominence among the noble families of the Holy Roman Empire. One notable bearer was Harlis von Sternberg (1210-1278), a German nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Crusades. His exploits were recorded in several medieval chronicles and literary works.
In the Renaissance era, Harlis Venusti (1501-1579) was an Italian painter and architect celebrated for his frescoes in churches and palaces throughout Italy. His works are still admired today for their exceptional artistry and attention to detail.
Another prominent figure was Harlis Grunert (1718-1794), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits. His name is associated with several important astronomical discoveries and advancements in the 18th century.
While the name Harlis has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it continues to be a part of historical records and cultural heritage, particularly in regions with Germanic roots and influences.
People
Harlis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Harlis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Harlis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Harlis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 55 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Harlis going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 6,231,897 US residents.
Is Harlis a common name?
We classify Harlis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 55.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 212 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Harlis most popular?
The single biggest year for Harlis was 1937, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Harlis is about 80 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Harlis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Harlis in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.