Harrison is a surname of English origin that has been used as a given name since the 19th century. The name is derived from Old French words "hare" and "son," which translate to "son of Harry." In some cases, Harrison may also be an anglicized form of Irish surname O'hArgain or Harrington.
The name Harry has its roots in Old German words "haeri" and "man," meaning "army" and "man," respectively. Therefore, the full meaning of Harrison is often interpreted as "son of army man." However, other sources suggest that Harrison could also mean "son of Harry, the bright one," with Harry being a derivative of Henry, which means "home ruler."
Historically, Harrison has been popular among English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States and England. It gained significant popularity during the mid-20th century but has since experienced fluctuations in its rank on popularity charts.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Harrison, including American presidents Benjamin Harrison and William Henry Harrison, as well as famous musicians such as George Harrison of The Beatles. These figures have contributed to the name's enduring appeal and recognition across various cultures and generations.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Harrison has seen a consistent but not overwhelming presence in the United States over the past three decades. With a total of 63 births recorded between 1988 and 2019, Harrison can be considered somewhat uncommon but not rare.
The earliest year for which data is available is 1988, with five newborns named Harrison that year. This figure remained consistent at five until the late 1990s to early 2000s, with spikes in 2006 and 2014, where six babies were named Harrison each year. Notably, there was a significant jump in 2019, with seven newborn Harrisons recorded, indicating a recent increase in popularity for the name.
Despite these fluctuations, Harrison's popularity has remained relatively stable over time, with no clear trend towards becoming more or less common. This suggests that while the name may not be particularly popular or widespread, it is consistently chosen by parents for their children across several generations.