Baby Name of the Day: Harrison

The baby name Harrison fits with our love of so many surname names dominating the popularity charts.

Thanks to Laura for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME HARRISON MEAN?

The Germanic Henry came to England with the Normans. It means “home ruler.”

During the Middle Ages, regal Henry became friendly, approachable Harry. 

And so the surname Harrison simply means son of Harry, just like Jackson and Wilson were given to the descendants of Jack and William.

Because Henry was a very popular choice, Harry, too, flourished. 

FAMOUS HARRISONS

Notable bearers of the surname abound, but let’s focus on just two families.

First there’s the 9th President of the United States, William Henry Harrison. We love a good White House surname, with choices like Carter and Kennedy trending in recent years. 

And his is a political family indeed. William Henry’s dad, Benjamin, is considered one of the Founding Fathers, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a governor of Virginia. William Henry’s grandson, also named Benjamin Harrison, would become the 23rd President of the United States.

The 9th President is notable for sparking a constitutional crisis when he died of pneumonia barely a month into his term. His grandson occupies little space in history books, but perhaps that’s because he’s remembered most for a combination of personal integrity, early efforts to protect civil rights, and sound foreign policy. Or not – others contend his presidency was just plain unremarkable, and he lost his re-election campaign to Grover Cleveland in a landslide.

Today most parents will probably think of a more current famous figure: musician George Harrison, one of the legendary Beatles. That makes this a rock and roll baby name, too, though maybe it’s more subtle than Marley or Lennon.

HARRISON IN THE 19th and 20th CENTURIES

A handful of famous nineteenth century men answered to the surname as a first, including:

• Otis, an editor and later publisher of what would become the Los Angeles Times.
• Dyar, inventor of the telegraph.
• Cady, illustrator of the long-running Peter Rabbit comic.

Factor in some politicians and other figures, and this name appears regularly in the historical record.

In 1961, Kurt Vonnegut gave the name to the title character in his short story, “Harrison Bergeron.”

HARRISON FORD

Pop culture would ultimately give the baby name Harrison a boost. 

An actor known for playing more than one iconic character, Harrison Ford was born in 1942. At the time, the name was relatively uncommon.

His career started small in the 1960s. Fun fact: Back in the 1910s and 20s, there was a Broadway star and silent film actor with the exact same name. 

By the 1980s, the second Ford would eclipse the first, thanks to star turns in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises.

Ford has also played Jack Ryan in adaptations of Tom Clancy’s novels; Rick Deckard in Blade Runner; and John book in Witness, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination.

It’s easy to imagine parents taking naming inspiration from the actor.

Characters on television series like The Flash and Scandal have also worn the name.

DUKE OF SUSSEX

The 21st century suggests another reason parents might pay attention to this name: a little prince.

Let’s start with his dad.

Prince Henry Charles Albert David was born in 1984, the younger son of now-King Charles III and his ex-wife, the late Princess Diana. His mother always called her son Harry. In some ways that broke with tradition, as English royals typically aren’t known by nicknames in public. (Though in private, that’s another story.)  

Prince Harry grew up, married American actress Meghan Markle, and became the Duke of Sussex. When he and Meghan welcomed their firstborn in 2019, they named him Archie Harrison. 

Archie’s middle name seems like a clear nod to dad.

The Sussexes left the United Kingdom for the United States, ending their time as working members of the royal family. Unlike their royal cousins, Archie and his sister Lilibet aren’t typically seen in public. Still, their parents remain very high-profile figures internationally and their names are well-known.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME HARRISON?

The baby name Harrison has never left the US Top 1000. It briefly charted in the Top 100 way back in the 1880s. 

It hit a low point during the 1970s, almost leaving the rankings entirely. Ford deserves credit for much of the name’s revival. In 1977, the name stood at #971. By 1982, two years after Empire Strikes Back and one year after we met Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the name had climbed to #603. It moved steadily upwards. 

Trends helped. Lots of surname names, including several ending in -son, became Top 100 favorites. Mason, Hudson, Grayson, Jameson, and Carson were all climbing in the United States and elsewhere in the English-speaking world, too. 

For the last decade or so, the baby name Harrison has hovered outside of the US Top 1000.

As of 2024, Harrison stands at #121.

FAMILIAR FAVORITE

Thanks to the enduring popularity of Henry, our love of surname names ending with -son and some high profile figures, the baby name Harrison continues to be popular – if not quite reaching the very top of the charts.

That might make this the perfect choice for parents who prefer a longer name for a son. It’s contemporary, but not invented. And if it’s a family name, too, then that’s a bonus. 

What do you think of the baby name Harrison?

First published May 2, 2018, this post was revised on October 24, 2025.