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

Popularity of Harris by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Harris is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Harris being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 177 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Harris.

The history of the first name Harris

The name Harris is derived from the Old English word "Hæres", which means "he that dwells on the boundary". This name has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon culture of England, dating back to the 5th to 11th centuries AD.

Harris was originally a surname, but it eventually transitioned into a given name as well. The earliest recorded use of Harris as a first name can be traced back to the 16th century in England.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Harris was Harris Hampson, an English politician who lived from 1589 to 1661. He served as a Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury during the English Civil War.

Another historical figure with the name Harris was Harris Petrie, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1768 to 1842. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1819.

In the 19th century, Harris Moore was a prominent American educator and abolitionist, born in 1812. He was a co-founder of the Pennsylvania Freedmen's Relief Association, which provided aid to former slaves during the American Civil War.

A famous literary figure with the name Harris was Joel Chandler Harris, an American journalist, novelist, and folklorist, born in 1848. He is best known for his collection of Uncle Remus stories, which preserved and popularized the African-American folklore of the Southern United States.

In the field of sports, Harris Rivington was a notable English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club in the early 19th century. He was born in 1787 and played first-class cricket from 1806 to 1828.

While the name Harris has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon culture of England, it has since been adopted and used in various cultures and regions around the world, transcending its historical roots.

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 Harris was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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