Henning
The masculine given name of Germanic origin meaning "estate ruler."
Name Census estimates that about 158 living Americans carry the first name Henning. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Henning today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Henning births was 2014 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Henning. 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.
People living today
158
~ 1 in 2,169,331 Americans
Peak year
2014
18 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,236
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Henning: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Henning from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 92 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Henning remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Henning 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 Henning during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hennings live
Origin
Meaning and history of Henning
The name Henning has its roots in the Germanic languages and is derived from the Old German word "Hagen", which means "enclosure" or "hedge". It is believed to have originated as a surname in the Middle Ages, referring to someone who lived near or worked with enclosures or hedges.
The name gained popularity in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, where it was adopted as a given name. In these regions, the name may have been influenced by the Old Norse word "henning", which means "descendant" or "offspring".
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Henning can be found in the ancient Icelandic sagas, where it was used to refer to characters from the Viking era. For example, in the Saga of the Faroe Islanders, there is mention of a character named Henning Kalvsson, who lived in the 10th century.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Henning. One of the most famous was Henning Arnisaeus (1575-1636), a Danish theologian and academic who served as the Chancellor of the University of Copenhagen.
Another prominent figure was Henning Carlsen (1879-1953), a Norwegian explorer and writer who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions and wrote extensively about his experiences.
In the world of literature, Henning Mankell (1948-2015) was a renowned Swedish crime writer and playwright, best known for his Kurt Wallander series of detective novels.
In the realm of sports, Henning Solberg (born 1973) is a Norwegian rally driver who has competed in the World Rally Championship and achieved several notable wins throughout his career.
Another notable individual was Henning Rudolf (1886-1973), a German architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the reconstruction of Berlin after World War II.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the name Henning, contributing to various fields such as academia, exploration, literature, sports, and architecture.
People
Henning + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Henning 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
Henning: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Henning?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 158 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Henning 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 2,169,331 US residents.
Is Henning a common name?
We classify Henning as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 294 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Henning most popular?
The single biggest year for Henning was 2014, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Henning is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Henning a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Henning 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.