Given name & surname
Harrison
“son of Harry”·“the son of Harry”
Harrison is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “son of Harry” and “the son of Harry” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “son of Harry” and “the son of Harry” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
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.
Harrison through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 99,462
- 99,138 boys · 324 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 3,670 babies
- 2025
- 3,080
- #116 for boys · #11,287 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −12%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 3,072 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 116 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 3,662 in 2016. It also appeared in 8 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (247). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 67,132 as a first name in 2020; 172,637 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.
Harrison’s family of names
In English usage, Harrison as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Harry. Harrison has a related form in Harris. Harrison has a related form in Harriss.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Harrison
- Harrison FordAmerican actor (born 1942)
- Harrison SchmittAstronaut, geologist, politician, 12th man to walk on the moon (Apollo 17)born 1935
- Harrison DillardAmerican athlete (1923–2019)
- Harrison BarnesAmerican basketball player (born 1992)
- Harrison AffulGhanaian footballerborn 1986
- Harrison BirtwistleEnglish composer (1934–2022)
- Harrison ReedEnglish association football player (born 1995)
- Harrison FordAmerican stage and silent film actor (1884–1957)
- Harrison Sloan GilbertsonAustralian actorborn 1993
Characters named Harrison: Harry Morgan (the Showtime television series Dexter).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Harrison, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hamilton
“a dreamer; one who is wishful” · “from the flat-topped hill”
>99% boys
Easton
“a wholesome woman” · “from the eastern town”
99% boys · 1% girls
Jameson
“the son of James”
99% boys · 1% girls
Anderson
“the son of Andrew”
91% boys · 9% girls
Grayson
“the son of a gray-haired man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Paxton
“from the peaceful town”
95% boys · 5% girls
Braxton
“from Brock's town”
99% boys · 1% girls
Hudson
“one who is adventurous; an explorer” · “the son of Hugh; from the river”
99% boys · 1% girls