Horold
A masculine name potentially derived from a Germanic root meaning "army ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Horold. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Horold today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Horold births was 1926 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Horold. 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 Horold. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1926
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1926 SSA rank
#4,494
Tracked since 1926
Popularity
Horold: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Horold 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 Horold during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Horold
The given name Horold has its origins in the Germanic languages, tracing back to the Old English and Old Norse eras. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "here" meaning army and "weald" meaning ruler, suggesting a combination that translates to "army ruler" or "leader of warriors."
In the early medieval period, the name Horold was prevalent among the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian communities that inhabited parts of what is now England and the surrounding regions. It gained prominence as a name bestowed upon noblemen and warriors, reflecting the martial connotations of its linguistic roots.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Horold can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record dating back to the 9th century. The chronicle mentions a figure named Horold, who was a prominent figure in the kingdom of Wessex during the reign of King Alfred the Great (849-899).
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Horold. One of the most famous was Harold Godwinson (c. 1022-1066), who became the last Anglo-Saxon king of England before the Norman conquest. He was famously depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, a remarkable embroidered chronicle of the events leading up to and including the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Another historical figure with the name Horold was Harold Hardrada (c. 1015-1066), a Norwegian king who led a Viking invasion of England in 1066, the same year as the Norman conquest. His campaign ultimately ended in defeat at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, where he was killed.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Harold Bloom (1930-2019), the renowned American literary critic and Yale University professor. His influential works, such as "The Anxiety of Influence" and "The Western Canon," have left an indelible mark on literary criticism and the study of literature.
Lastly, Harold Pinter (1930-2008), the British playwright, screenwriter, and actor, deserves mention. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005 for his contributions to the theater, which included plays such as "The Homecoming" and "Betrayal." Pinter's unique minimalist style and exploration of human relationships earned him widespread critical acclaim.
While the name Horold may have evolved in spelling and usage over the centuries, its historical roots and associations with strength, leadership, and literary excellence continue to resonate, making it a name with a rich and enduring legacy.
People
Horold + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Horold 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
Horold: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Horold?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Horold 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 - US residents.
Is Horold a common name?
We classify Horold as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Horold most popular?
The single biggest year for Horold was 1926, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Horold is about 0 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 Horold in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Horold a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Horold 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.
Is Horold still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Horold 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 Horold 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 many people have the name Horold?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.