Given name & surname
Harper
“one who plays or makes harps”
Harper is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “one who plays or makes harps.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “one who plays or makes harps.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Harper through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 145,832
- 6,769 boys · 139,063 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 11,102 babies
- 2025
- 6,869
- #16 for girls · #1,980 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 2% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6,792 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 16 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 24.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 10,803 in 2016. It also appeared in 77 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (543). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 92,376 as a first name in 2020; 119,191 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Harper’s family of names
Harper has a related form in Harpar. Harper has a related form in Harpir. Harper has a related form in Harpor.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Harper
- Harper Simonsinger-songwriter, guitarist, producerborn 1972
- Harper WilliamsAmerican basketball player (born 1971)
- Harper KampAmerican basketball playerborn 1988
- Harper GoffAmerican musician (1911-1993)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Harper, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Harley
“from the meadow of the hares”
20% boys · 80% girls
Hadley
“from the field of heather” · “from the heather meadow”
1% boys · 99% girls
Piper
“one who plays the flute”
>99% girls
Harmony
“unity; musically in tune”
>99% girls
Hallie
“from the hall” · “woman of the sea”
>99% girls
Harlow
“an impetuous woman” · “from the army on the hill”
9% boys · 91% girls
Avery
“one who is a wise ruler; of the nobility”
20% boys · 80% girls
Aria
“a beautiful melody”
>99% girls