If you’ve been under a rock, you may have missed the fact that the latest installment in the Indiana Jones franchise opens today.  Since we’ve already written about Indiana, today’s Name of the Day is what one would find on Dr. Jones’ passport as he set off for exotic journeys in foreign lands:  Henry.

To be precise, the fictional adventurer is known as Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr., and he’s been with us since 1981.  

But he’s by no means the best known Henry.  That distinction might belong to King Henry VIII, that much-married English monarch.  There hasn’t been a King Henry on the throne since, but the dashing Prince Harry was baptized Henry Charles Albert David, so King Henry IX is not an impossibility.

There have also been Henrys on the thrones of many a nation, including France and Germany.  Hudson Bay is named after explorer Henry Hudson, and we’re all bemoaning the price of gasoline thanks to the innovations of Henry Ford.

It’s a Germanic name that translates roughly to “home ruler.”  Henry migrated to England with the Normans.  While his pedigree is considerably briefer than a Roman choice like Julian or August, it is far older than many a name heard on playgrounds today.

Speaking of playgrounds, Henry is back in a big way.  In the late 19th and early 20th century, it was regularly a Top Ten choice for boys.  The name started to slide circa 1910, and by 1953 was out of the Top 50 entirely.  By 1969, it would leave the Top 100.

Henry became the name given to a bookish, shy and downright nerdy boy.  The captain of the football team was now called Rich, and the cutest boy in school was Todd.

But just like simple, straightforward names for girls made a comeback – think Hannah and Emma – many parents have sought out similar options for boys.  And so Henry is less of a 90-pound weakling and more of a hipster baby in a Death Cab for Cutie onesie who will grow up to engineer some breakthrough in social media.

Don’t believe us?  After pitting at 144 in 1991, the name slowly reversed directions.  As of last year, it’s ranked 91.  Check out the kind of neighborhoods where you can buy a Death Cab for Cutie tee in toddler sizes, and you’re more likely to hear parents calling Henry than Aiden.

So while Henry is a very mainstream choice for a Name of the Day, we can’t help admire the name’s geek chic and long history of use – even if it is, inevitably Coming Soon To a Playground Near You.