Hello Name Warehouse! Before we start, I’d like to remind you that the contest for the Name Warehouse’s First Birthday Celebration article or series closes tomorrow. If you have yet to read my article about this, I suggest you do so or continue reading this brief summary. Submit your ideas under my contact form for the best article/series to sum up this year and celebrate such a monumental anniversary. I will decide on the best idea and reveal our winner and their idea with the article they’ve suggested. Thank you so much! Now for the name Profile.
A modern classic boy name beloved by parents all over the world, Henry is the name I’ll be investigating today. If you’re considering this name for your little one, already have a son with the name, or are just someone very fascinated with names (as I am), then read on for a lovely close look at the origin, meaning, pros, cons, and best sounding first-middle name combinations I could think of all involving this moniker. Without further ado, let’s get into some of Henry’s best qualities.
Pros
Henry is a classic name, a name that stands the test of time, has deep roots, and a beautiful origin story going far back. The boy name we know and love today started out as the old Germanic name Haimarīks, which, when adopted by Old Frankish, became Heimeric, and then, once Old French got hold of it, turned into Henri or Henry. The original components of Haimarīks, Haima and riks, mean “home” and “ruler,” giving Henry the meaning of “estate ruler” that we know today. But just because Henry has so much history does not make him boring in the least. In fact, I would argue that this spiraling list of translations and alterations to this name over hundreds of years makes Henry much more interesting. Henry is easily classified as a modern classic. In fact, he may be the definition of such a term. Henry has never really gone out of style. The lowest this name has gotten in the past 120 years is #140, proving his classic status. Yet he doesn’t quite have the evergreen, consistent feel of William and James. Henry is part vintage revival from his peak #10 in 1910, but he’s also part classic, never breaking free from the top 150 in the span of 120 years. The perfect modern classic.
In addition, Henry is incredibly versatile, appealing to different families and separate little ones and personalities for different reasons. Henry can be bold and strong, a dignified name, solidly medieval and courageous. Henry can also be cute and quiet, a little nerdy ten year old boy. Both images are ones that accompany Henry, and both are images that parents fall head over heels in love with when they choose the name Henry for their newborn son. There’s a reason that modern classics are as beloved as they are: Ben and Sam can be the quarterbacks on the football team, the champions on the chess team, the leaders in the dance team, the valedictorians, and so many more endless possibilities. Obviously, any child with any name can have any personality. But Henry’s appeal is in the fact that right off the bat, the name doesn’t feel solely cool or smart or cute. Your child gets to personalize Henry the way they like. Not only that, Henry’s sounds are of much intrigue. He has the lovely two syllables of Logan, Ethan, Jacob, Liam, Noah, and more, but I wouldn’t say that his sounds are common. Avery left the boys in the dust years ago, and you don’t see many boy names or girl names, for that matter, starting with Hen-. So while Aiden and Jayden may share a class, Henry has a low chance of meeting a Hensen or a Henrick.
Cons
Quick, think of a Henry! No, not the little boy down the street. Someone you don’t actually know. Someone who a majority of people would think of as well. Chances are, you’ve thought of King Henry VIII. Now, as someone fascinated by Tudor history, I’m very tempted to go defending King Henry VIII. He had the stress of being unable to produce a son (and if such an event occurred, a war would certainly ensue), and he was a very healthy, well-liked, and charming young king and even a lovely husband. But let’s be blunt here: most people remember the overweight, ugly, ridiculously dressed wife murderer who remarried five times and treated all six of his wives like total dirt. King Henry VIII is arguably the most infamous Henry in history, the guy who pops into most people’s heads when they think of the name outside the context of their friends and family. He’s framed as the villain, and very much rightfully so, as a tyrant and murderer, so Henry might not go so well with your history buff friends when you do a name reveal. And not only is one of the most famous Henry’s famed for his many unsuccessful marriages and unfortunately successful murders, Henry’s nicknames are….meh. Harry could be interpreted as a charming vintage name with a bit of a royal family undertone. But Harry’s not quite ready for revival. On top of that, there’s hairy, which isn’t exactly ideal… at all. In addition to Harry, there’s Hank, which sounds like a hankie to me. Blowing your nose or shaving your legs isn’t really what I want to picture when I think of my child’s nickname, and I’m not sure I’m entirely alone in that claim.
And Henry just keeps getting more and more popular. I mean, at #12 in 2019, Henry is pushing TOP TEN. And top ten is quite the hefty accomplishment in terms of popularity. It’s completely possible that Henry inches up a couple spots in May data, giving him top ten status. Top ten is a lot for some parents to digest, and if you’re not willing to give up rarity for Henry, I would not suggest choosing him. Henry has been doing nothing but climb since 2003, and he doesn’t show signs of slowing his roll anytime in the foreseeable future. Finally, Henry means “estate ruler,” and among a crowd of names that mean “universal,” “life,” and “strong,” a meaning like “estate ruler” pales in comparison. Sure, “estate ruler” may apply to some families. But it doesn’t have the universal versatility of “life,” “strong”, and “universal.”
Combos
Henry Gabriel
Henry Finnegan
Joshua Henry
Isaiah Henry
Predictions For Henry:
Henry has just gone up and up and up, and it would be foolish for me to assume that he won’t continue in this pattern. His revival time doesn’t quite match up, but given that he’s more of a timeless name, the sky’s really the limit. Predicting #10 or #9 for him next year would not be ludicrous. As for me, Henry isn’t my favorite. I’ve done too much looking into the Tudor time period to really fully appreciate the name Henry, though it’s a solid and versatile name that I think is lovely for a grown man or little boy. Bye friends, and have a lovely rest of your days!
Sincerely,
-Delphina Moon