Today’s Name of the Day comes to us from Kayt, who suggested the equally musical Piper profiled just a few days back.
If Piper has a sprightly, upbeat feel, Harper manages to strike a slightly more serious note. Unlike her more familiar sister, Harper has been bestowed as a given name with some regularity over the past century or so, usually for boys. But today, with a literary legacy and bird’s eye of view of the fashionable and fabulous, Harper seems like a strong choice for a daughter.
Once upon a time, Harper was just that – someone who crafted or played musical instruments. As a surname, it’s still rather common. The current Prime Minister of Canada is Stephen Harper; other notable bearers of the name include musician Ben Harper, abolitionist Frances Harper and a host of politicians and elected officials.
Four other Harpers merit mention here: James, John, Fletcher and Wesley. The four brothers founded a publishing empire that would eventually become HarperCollins book publishers and the glossy Harper’s Bazaar. Back in 1867, it was the first fashion magazine in the US. Today, it’s known for a mix of celeb profiles, pieces on haute couture and glimpses of the ever-so-wealthy. Not only is it a purely addictive and indulgent read, it’s part of why the name Harper skews feminine. You wouldn’t call your daughter Vogue, but somehow Harper touches this glamorous life without sounding pretentious.
After all, the Harper that really gives the name heft is a literary giant: Nelle Harper Lee, known as Harper Lee on her legendary work, To Kill a Mockingbird. A Pulitzer Prize winner in 1961, the book has achieved no less acclaim as it ages. In 2007, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The book remains required reading for virtually every schoolchild in America. It also gave us Atticus and Scout, two more baby names that we’ll doubtless discuss eventually.
For decades, however, Harper appeared only rarely as a given name, and then only for boys. In fact, it failed to make the Top 1000 male given names from 1907 until 2006, when it re-entered the charts at #958. In 2007, it had jumped to #880.
But while it has become a sometimes-used name for our sons, the number of daughters wearing this name is growing far more quickly. In 2004, it entered the charts for the first time at #887. As of last year, it hit #441. That’s just over 700 baby Harpers – there were twice as many Pipers.
The rage for last-names-first shows no signs of abating, and so little wonder that parents have discovered this gem for their children. While it wears reasonably well on a boy, and brings to mind Top 100 choices like Tyler, Connor, Xavier and Carter, we feel that pop culture pushes this one into the girls’ camp.
So move over, Madison and Taylor. Harper has more substance than either of those trendy choices, and remains nicely underused – for now.
Great name!!
I was actually going to suggest this one, it is quickly climbing up my fave girl names list
It’s funny. I never would have guessed Harper was a male name. It sounds so very feminine to me. Maybe it’s because of Harper Lee; I’m not sure.
If I weren’t a nickname fiend, I think Harper would be among my faves, too, Natalie. Trouble is, what do you call your daughter for short? Harpy? That brings to mind the ravenous half-bird women of myth. So this name is clearly meant for those who can write the name on the birth certificate and be content to call their child the full name. Or, you know, dumpling or tater tot or whatever.
And, Kate, I know! I thought Harper would turn out to be just like Piper – never used as a given name until the 20th century. I’m guessing that those few male Harpers were wearing their mother’s maiden names. If I met a Harper today, I’d expect her to be a … well, a *her* and, of course, probably young.
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Harper is unisex to me. I had seen it mentioned often in the beginning of the year on Yahoo Answers . I actually have a guilty spot for this name. I love it, but the possible connotation of someone who ‘harps’ over problems puts me off. I knew a Mona who was a Moaner, so, I do take this type of thing seriously. However, the musical connotation is lovely
I do adore the sound of the name, though.
Since I’ve recently met a boy called Harper, I find myself thinking that this one wears better on a boy than I initially thought. I just keep thinking of To Kill A Mockingbird … but then, that wasn’t her given name, either.
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Harper is my maiden name, so it always feels weird to me when people have it as a first name… But while Piper seems like a girl name, Harper sounds like a boy’s name to me. On the other hand, in a world where I’ve heard a bunch of different little girls being called Logan and at least one named Emerson, all bets are off on what surname goes with which sex.
(I think Logan on girls may be a local trend, though, since I heard it mainly on boys when I was living elsewhere.)
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Well we named our Daughter Harper after Miss Lee….14 years ago, we thought the name was awesome befor it became trendy.
Oh, that is the worst feeling, I’m sure. You’ve landed on the perfect name, and then you get Beckham’d. Or Jolie-Pitt’d. Or insert-celeb-family here. If the new Garner-Affleck baby is called Clio, I’ll hit the roof.
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