Harriet is a feminine given name of English origin. It is derived from the German name Henry, which is composed of the elements "heim" meaning "home" and "ric" meaning "power". Therefore, Harriet means "home ruler" or "estate ruler".
The name Harriet first appeared in England during the Middle Ages as a diminutive form of Henry. It was originally used for boys, but over time it became more commonly used for girls.
Harriet has been a popular name throughout history. In the 19th century, some famous Harriets include Harriet Beecher Stowe, an American abolitionist and author of the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin", and Harriet Martineau, a British sociologist and writer. More recently, Harriet Tubman, an African-American abolitionist and spy during the American Civil War, has become a prominent figure in American history.
Despite its popularity throughout history, Harriet is not currently among the most popular names for girls in English-speaking countries. According to data from the Social Security Administration, Harriet ranked #916 in the United States in 2020.
Overall, Harriet is a historic and meaningful name with a unique origin story that has been carried by notable figures throughout history.
Based on the statistics provided for the name Harriett in the United States from 1880 to 2023, we can observe several trends over time.
From 1880 to around 1920, the number of births with the name Harriett fluctuated but remained relatively high, reaching a peak of 585 births in 1920. During this period, Harriett was a popular choice among parents, likely due to its association with Harriet Beecher Stowe and her influential novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
However, after 1920, the popularity of the name Harriett began to decline significantly. Between 1926 and 1975, there were fewer than 50 births with this name each year on average. This decrease can be attributed to changing trends in naming practices, as parents began to favor more modern or unique names.
From 1976 onwards, the number of births with the name Harriett remained very low, typically ranging from 5 to 20 births per year. This continued decline is consistent with the overall trend towards less traditional and more distinctive baby names in recent decades.
In conclusion, while Harriett was once a popular choice for parents in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, its popularity has since declined considerably. Despite this, there have been occasional fluctuations in its usage over time, with small increases sometimes observed even in recent years.