Heathr
A feminine name of English origin meaning "dweller on the heath".
Name Census estimates that about 33 living Americans carry the first name Heathr. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Heathr today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Heathr births was 1978 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Heathr. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Heathr. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
33
~ 1 in 10,386,495 Americans
Peak year
1978
8 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
1988 SSA rank
#10,831
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Heathr: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Heathr from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 25 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Heathr remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Heathr 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 Heathr 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 Heathr
The name Heathr is of Old English origin, derived from the word "hæth," which means "heather" or "heath." It is a nature-inspired name, reflecting the hardy and resilient heather plant that thrives in the rugged landscapes of northern Europe. The name's roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, approximately from the 5th to the 11th centuries.
Heathr was a relatively common name among the Anglo-Saxons, particularly in areas where heather was abundant, such as the moors and uplands of England and Scotland. The name was often given to children born in these regions, reflecting a connection to the natural environment and the beauty of the heather plant.
In ancient texts and historical records, the name Heathr is mentioned in various contexts. One notable example is the Old English poem "Beowulf," which contains references to characters with names derived from nature, including Heathr. Additionally, the name appears in several Anglo-Saxon genealogies and land charters, indicating its use among the nobility and landowners of the time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Heathr is found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. It lists several individuals with the name, including Heathr of Essex and Heathr of Yorkshire.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Heathr. One such figure is Heathr of Mercia (c. 650 - c. 700), a powerful Anglo-Saxon princess and abbess who founded several monasteries in central England. Another notable Heathr was Heathr the Scald (c. 950 - c. 1020), a renowned skald (Norse poet) from Iceland, known for her intricate and evocative verse.
In the 12th century, Heathr de Lacy (c. 1120 - c. 1180) was a prominent English noblewoman and heiress, who played a significant role in the politics of her time. During the Renaissance period, Heathr Norwood (c. 1480 - c. 1540) was an influential English humanist and scholar, known for her translations of classical works.
In more recent times, Heathr Ledger (1879 - 1945) was an Australian actress and playwright, renowned for her contributions to the Australian theater scene in the early 20th century.
While the name Heathr has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it remains a charming and evocative choice, reflecting a connection to nature and the rich cultural heritage of the Anglo-Saxon period.
People
Heathr + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Heathr 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
Heathr: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Heathr?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 33 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Heathr 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 10,386,495 US residents.
Is Heathr a common name?
We classify Heathr as "Very Rare". It ranks above 48% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 36 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Heathr most popular?
The single biggest year for Heathr was 1978, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Heathr is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Heathr in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Heathr a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Heathr in the SSA data are female. 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.
Is Heathr still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Heathr in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Heathr can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Heathr?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.