Given name & surname
Harald
“the ruler of an army”
Harald is a variant of Harold. One Scandinavian interpretation is “the ruler of an army.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Harald is a variant of Harold. One Scandinavian interpretation is “the ruler of an army.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Harald is a variant of Harold. Harold has been associated with Old English and Old Norse naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Scandinavian use, Harald is used as a form of Harold.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1913. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Harald is a variant of Harold. The history of Harold gives this family its wider story. Harold experienced a revival in the 19th century.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Harald through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 811
- 811 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1925
- 24 babies
- 2025
- 15
- #5,953 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +100%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 15 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,953 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 24 in 1925. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,296 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Harald’s family of names
In German usage, Harald has a short form in Harry. In Norwegian Nynorsk usage, Harald shares a linguistic root with the English form Harold. In Polish usage, Harald has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form AROLDO.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Harald has relatives in 9 languages.
14 related names in 9 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 41
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Henryequivalent
- Ericequivalent
- Erikequivalent
- Enriqueequivalent
- Henrikequivalent
- Henriequivalent
- Hendrikequivalent
- Henriqueequivalent
Show 33 moreShow fewer
- Henrykequivalent
- Enricoequivalent
- Heinrichequivalent
- Erichequivalent
- Eirikequivalent
- Erykequivalent
- Enricequivalent
- Hendricequivalent
- Henrichequivalent
- Heinzequivalent
- Henkequivalent
- Heinequivalent
- Haroldoequivalent
- AroldoItalian
- Hinrichequivalent
- Hynekequivalent
- Haraldurequivalent
- Hinnerkequivalent
- Jindřichequivalent
- Henricusequivalent
- Hervalddoublet · Norwegian Nynorsk
- Henrikasequivalent
- Èricequivalent
- Henrihequivalent
- Hendricusequivalent
- Éricequivalent
- Henkeequivalent
- Henkleequivalent
- Andrinequivalent
- Eiríkurequivalent
- Ericusequivalent
- HaraldsLatvian
- Haraldrolder form · Old Norse
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Harald
- Harald Vking of Norway (1937–2026)
- Harold GodwinsonAnglo-Saxon King of England in 10661022–1066
- Harald zur HausenGerman virologist and professor emeritus (1936–2023)
- Harald HardradaKing of Norway from 1046 to 10661015–1066
- Harald BluetoothKing of Denmark and Norway911–985
- Harald FairhairKing of Norway851–933
- Toni SchumacherGerman association football playerborn 1954
- Harald II of DenmarkKing of Denmark989–1018
- Harald BohrDanish mathematician and footballer (1887–1951)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Harald, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Harland
“an athletic woman” · “from the army”
95% boys · 5% girls
Harmon
“a soldier”
91% boys · 9% girls
Harden
“from the hare's valley”
>99% boys
Armond
“of the army; a soldier”
>99% boys
Hardy
“one who is bold and courageous”
98% boys · 2% girls
Horace
“the keeper of time”
>99% boys
Hershel
“resembling a deer”
>99% boys
Harris
“son of Harry” · “the son of Harry”
96% boys · 4% girls