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

Popularity of Harrison by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Harrison is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Harrison being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 3,060 male babies and 7 female babies born with the name Harrison.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 7 baby girls were named Harrison in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Harrison

The name Harrison originated in the Middle Ages as an English surname derived from the medieval masculine name Harry, a pet form of Henry, combined with the common surname suffix "-son" meaning "son of". The name essentially meant "son of Harry" or "son of Henry".

The name Harry itself comes from the Germanic name Hariric, which was composed of the elements hari meaning "army" and ric meaning "ruler" or "power". The Normans introduced this name to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066, and it became a popular given name in medieval England, often used as a diminutive of Henry.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Harrison dates back to the 13th century in England. It was initially used as a surname to identify the son of someone named Harry or Henry, but over time, it transitioned into being used as a given name in its own right.

Some notable historical figures with the name Harrison include:

1. Harrison Ainsworth (1805-1882), an English historical novelist known for works like "The Tower of London" and "Old St. Paul's".

2. Harrison Hagan Schmitt (1935-present), an American geologist, retired NASA astronaut, and the last person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

3. Harrison Reed (c. 1617-1670), an English Puritan minister and one of the founders of the New Haven Colony in Connecticut, United States.

4. Harrison Birtwistle (1934-2022), an English composer known for his operatic and instrumental works, including the operas "The Minotaur" and "The Last Supper".

5. Harrison Ford (1942-present), the famous American actor best known for his iconic roles as Han Solo in the Star Wars films and Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones film series.

While the name Harrison has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread and become a popular name in various English-speaking countries around the world, transcending its original use as a surname.

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

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

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