Harriet
Girl name · #1071 in 2025 · Uniqueness 63/100
In 2025, 226 baby girls were named Harriet, placing it at #1071 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1307, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,965 girls born in 2025 was named Harriet.
Babies named Harriet per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Harriet first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 319 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 2,389 girls were named Harriet — good for #114 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Harriet against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harriet in class?
Harriet scores 63 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Harriet is most common
Geography matters for names, and Harriet is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Harriets were NY (25), TX (17), CA (12), GA (10), MN (10). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Harriet
Statistically, parents drawn to Harriet tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Agnes, Viola, Odessa, Winifred, and Carmela.
AgnesViolaOdessaWinifredCarmelaCarmellaLeonoraHellen
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harriet | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 226 | #1071 |
| 2024 | 210 | #1149 |
| 2023 | 215 | #1129 |
| 2022 | 218 | #1129 |
| 2021 | 239 | #1056 |
| 2020 | 230 | #1074 |
| 2019 | 261 | #988 |
| 2018 | 248 | #1039 |
| 2017 | 211 | #1165 |
| 2016 | 175 | #1353 |
| 2015 | 182 | #1307 |
| 2014 | 132 | #1624 |
| 2013 | 129 | #1646 |
| 2012 | 89 | #2132 |
| 2011 | 87 | #2173 |
| 2010 | 56 | #3010 |
| 2009 | 55 | #3088 |
| 2008 | 36 | #4268 |
| 2007 | 61 | #2930 |
| 2006 | 61 | #2850 |
| 2005 | 44 | #3404 |
| 2004 | 31 | #4387 |
| 2003 | 43 | #3347 |
| 2002 | 38 | #3523 |
| 2001 | 43 | #3198 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Harriet a popular girl name?
Harriet ranked #1071 among girls in 2025 with 226 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1307.
When was the name Harriet most popular?
Harriet peaked in 1921, when 2,389 American girls received the name (ranked #114 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Harriet?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,965 newborn American girls was named Harriet. It scores 63/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.