Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1925

Harald

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #5,953
Rank 2025
#5,953
among boys · ↑640 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
15
named Harald
How common
1 in 113,872
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1925
24 babies
All-time total
811
#5,860 all-time among boys
First recorded
1913
in Social Security records

Harald popularity over time

811 babies have been named Harald since 1913, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1925Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 80 8 – #1,840
1920s 166 17 +108% #1,551
1930s 122 12 -27% #1,676
1940s 93 9 -24% #1,866
1950s 106 11 +14% #1,863
1960s 136 14 +28% #1,660
1970s 17 2 -87% #2,788
1980s 16 2 -6% #5,770
1990s 5 1 -69% #9,803
2000s – – – –
2010s 25 3 – #10,043
2020s (to 2025) 45 8 +200% #5,953

The story of Harald

Harald is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,953 in 2025 with 15 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1913, 811 American babies have been named Harald. Its peak came in 1925, when 24 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Harald stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Harald?

The median living Harald is about 63 years old; half are between 47 and 71. An estimated 400 people named Harald are alive in the United States today.

median 63 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Harald year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 15 #5,953
2024 13 #6,593
2023 8 #9,214
2022 9 #8,552
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 7 #10,043
2017 7 #10,083
2016 6 #11,211
2015 – –
2014 5 #12,743
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 5 #6,625
1975 – –
1970 12 #2,788
1965 10 #2,680
1960 18 #1,937
1955 10 #2,653
1950 – –
1945 11 #2,175
1940 12 #2,124
1935 8 #2,804
1930 19 #1,722
1925 24 #1,551
1920 14 #2,265
1915 10 #2,520
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Harald

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Harald Hardrada Harald Hardrada King of Norway from 1046 to 1066 1015–1066 · Medieval
  2. 2 Harald Bluetooth Harald Bluetooth 10th-century King of Denmark and Norway 935–986 · Medieval
  3. 3 Harald Quandt Harald Quandt German businessman (1921–1967) Contemporary
  4. 4 Harald Fairhair Harald Fairhair Legendary first king of Norway 850–933 · Medieval
  5. 5 Harald V of Norway Harald V of Norway King of Norway from 1991 to 2026 b. 1937 · Contemporary
  6. 6 Harald II of Denmark King of Denmark from 1014 to c. 1018 980–1018 · Medieval
  7. 7 Harald Greycloak King of Norway from 961 to c. 970 935–970 · Medieval
  8. 8 Harald Schumacher Harald Schumacher German footballer (born 1954) Contemporary
  9. 9 Harald Klak Harald Klak King of the Danes Medieval
  10. 10 Harald Bohr Harald Bohr Danish mathematician and footballer (1887–1951) 19th century
  11. 11 Harald Kloser Austrian film composer and producer b. 1956 · Contemporary
  12. 12 Harald zur Hausen Harald zur Hausen German virologist (1936–2023) Contemporary
  13. 13 Harald Cramér Harald Cramér Swedish mathematician (1893–1985) 19th century
  14. 14 Harald Gille King of Norway from 1130 to 1136 1103–1136 · Medieval
  15. 15 Harald Ertl Harald Ertl Austrian racing driver and journalist (1948–1982) Contemporary
  16. 16 Harald Schmidt Harald Schmidt German actor, comedian and television presenter b. 1957 · Contemporary
  17. 17 Harald III of Denmark Harald III of Denmark King of Denmark from 1076 to 1080 1041–1080 · Medieval
  18. 18 Harald Reinl Harald Reinl Austrian film director (1908–1986) Contemporary
  19. 19 Harald Öhquist Harald Öhquist Finnish Jäger and Lieutenant General (1891–1971) 19th century
  20. 20 Harald Nielsen Harald Nielsen Danish footballer (1941–2015) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Harald, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Harald?

The median living Harald is about 63 years old. Half of all living Haralds are between 47 and 71 years old.

How many people named Harald are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Harald are alive in the United States, based on 811 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Harald in 2025?

Harald ranked #5,953 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 15 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Harald?

811 babies have been named Harald in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Harald most popular?

Harald peaked in 1925, when 24 newborns received the name.

Is Harald a boy or girl name?

Harald is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Harald rising or falling?

Harald is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Harald?

Well-known people named Harald include Harald Hardrada (politician), Harald Bluetooth (politician), Harald Quandt (politician).

Names like Harald

Names that sound and feel close to Harald: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Harald with similar names → More names starting with H →