Harriet

English variation of French Henriette
"estate ruler"

Harriet Origin and Meaning

The name Harriet is a girl's name of French, English origin meaning "estate ruler".

Harriet has long been considered a stylish, upscale name in England, but it's still waiting to be revived in the US—though some parents seeking a solid, serious semi-classic are beginning to consider it.

Distinguished namesakes include Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the influential Uncle Tom's Cabin; Harriet Tubman (born Araminta), the famed abolitionist; and in pop culture, Harriet Hilliard Nelson, of Ozzie & Harriet TV fame. Many will associate it with the protagonist of the childhood classic Harriet the Spy. Harriet has appeared in other books ranging from Jane Austen's Emma to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Harriet, a Top 100 name at the turn of the last century, hasn't appeared on the list since 1970. On the other hand, it is currently Number 61 in England and Wales.

Cutesy nicknames for Harriet include Hattie, Hetty, and Hatsy. A related idea: Henrietta.

# 983 in the US

Harriet Rank in US Top 1000

# 218 on Nameberry

Harriet Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Harriet Popularity

Famous People Named Harriet

  • Harriet Beecher Stowe
    American novelist
  • Harriet Nelson (born Peggy Louise Snyder)
    American singer and actress, wife of Ozzie Nelson
  • Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross)
    American abolitionist
  • Harriet Mary Walter
    English actress
  • Harriet Ruth Harman
    British Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
  • Harriet Martineau
    English social theorist
  • Harriet Ellan Miers
    31st U.S. White House Counsel
  • Harriet Ann Jacobs
    American slave narrative author
  • Harriet Sansom Harris
    American actress
  • Harriet Andersson
    Swedish actress
  • Harriet Roberts
    English dance pop singer
  • Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana (Howard) Sutherland
    Leveson,Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, British Mistress of the Robes
  • Harriet Sarah
    Lady Mordaunt, Scottish divorcee of MP Charles Mordaunt and friend of King Edward VII
  • Harriet Arbuthnot
    English diarist and friend of the Duke of Wellington
  • Harriet Hemings
    daughter of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson

Harriet in Pop Culture

  • Harriet Chetwode
    Talbot, main character in film "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
  • Harriet Welsch
    main character in Louise Fitzhugh's "Harriet the Spy"
  • Harriet Jones
    character on TV's "Doctor Who" and "Torchwood"
  • Harriet Vanger
    character in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
  • Harriet Smith
    character in Jane Austen's "Emma"
  • Harriet Vane
    character in Dorothy L. Sayers' "Gaudy Night"
  • Harriet Oleson
    character on TV's "Little House on the Prairie"
  • Harriet Goodcharm
    character on TV's "The Worst Witch"
  • Harriet "Harry" Watson
    sister of Dr. John Watson on TV's "Sherlock"
  • Harriet Beadle "Tattycoram
    " character in Charles Dickens' "Little Dorrit"
  • Harriet Townsend
    character in "Yesterday's Child" by Barbara Woo
  • Harriet Bentley
    character in film "Wild Child"
  • Harriet Schulenburg
    character on British TV's Green Wing"
  • Harriet Hayward
    character on TV's "Twin Peaks"
  • Harriet
    dog character in children's books by Nancy Carlson
  • Harriet
    character in "The Maze Runner" series
  • Harriet Kepner
    Avery, daughter of Dr. Jackson Avery and Dr. April Kepner on "Grey's Anatomy"
  • Mad Harriet
    villain in DC Comics
  • Harriet Arkham
    character in Batman comics
  • Harriet Hyde
    alter,ego in British TV series "Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde"
  • Harriet Morton
    character in Eva Ibbotson's novel "A Company of Swans"
  • Harriet Sims
    U.S. Navy officer in the TV show JAG
  • Harriet
    character in the videogame “Super Mario Odyssey”
  • Harriet Brindle
    character on “Small Wonder”