Hal
Hal is a boy's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Home ruler or army commander.
Origin and history
Hal is a traditional English medieval diminutive of Henry or Harold. Historically associated with English royalty and literary characters, it is a brief, classic masculine name. In contemporary U.S. usage, it remains a charmingly vintage, relatively rare choice.
Popularity in the United States
16,784 babies in the United States have been named Hal since 1880. It ranks #909 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1737.
States where it is most popular
- TX (10.1 %)
- NC (9.5 %)
- CA (8.8 %)
- NY (8 %)
- IL (5.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 178 |
| 1890-1900 | 211 |
| 1900-1910 | 229 |
| 1910-1920 | 1,073 |
| 1920-1930 | 1,834 |
| 1930-1940 | 1,810 |
| 1940-1950 | 2,614 |
| 1950-1960 | 4,423 |
| 1960-1970 | 2,199 |
| 1970-1980 | 889 |
| 1980-1990 | 531 |
| 1990-2000 | 263 |
| 2000-2010 | 156 |
| 2010-2019 | 184 |
| 2020-2029 | 190 |
Famous people named Hal
- Hal Holbrook: Actor, Director
- Hal Linden: Actor, Musician
- Hal Ashby: Film Director, Editor
Fun facts
- Prince Hal was Shakespeare's affectionate nickname for the young King Henry V in his historic plays.
- Hal developed naturally in Medieval England as a colloquial variation of Henry.