Henry or Harry?
Miniature of Henry V, 1412.
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
It is traditional for someone named Henry to be called Harry. I had an uncle Harry and so did my husband, but both of those men had officially been named Henry.
In the Middle Ages, the Norman French name Henri became popular after the Norman Conquest of 1066 to 1071. The English, unable to pronounce it correctly, adapted it to Herry or Harry, and it has become customary for it to be a diminutive or affectionate form of Henry. It was popular as a Royal name in Germany, France, and England, and was adopted by other European countries, such as Poland, which claimed Henry as Henryk, or Lithuania which had Herkus. In Wales, it became Perry, and in Ireland it was Annraoi.
The name lent itself to surnames, too, like Harrison, Henson, Heinz, and Henriques.
It was common to create female forms of the name, like Henrietta, or Enrica, or Heike, while Harry gave rise to Harriet, or diminutives like Hatty, or Hetty, Hena, or Jetta.
The meaning of the name Henry or Harry is ‘home ruler’ and the same applies to the female form.
I wondered about Prince Harry being named Henry but being called Harry, and apparently known as Haz to some friends. My daughter dated an Englishman named Maurice (we had to learn how to pronouce his name correctly--it wasn't the French way) who was called Moz.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
My husband's name is Barry and when I first knew him, he was always called Baz. My son's name is Gareth and he's often called Gaz!
DeleteDoes Gareth like camping?
DeleteLOL!
Deletewow! This is an excellent post. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. 😊
DeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteUsually, the 'nickname' is shorter than the original name - not in this case lol
😀
DeleteAnother form of Henry out in the western cattle country is Hank.
ReplyDeleteNot a name we use, usually. 😀
DeleteHmmm….In my world, “Harry” is the nickname for “Harold” and “Henry” just always was and is “Henry” (unless we’re singing “Henry the VII,” then it’s “Enerri” LOL).
ReplyDelete😂🤣
DeleteIn German, Heinz is more common as a first name than a surname.
ReplyDeleteI had never made the connection between the French pronounciation of Henri turning into the English Harry, but of course it is obvious, now that you have pointed it out.
A childhood friend of mine is called Heike. We loved that our names rhymed, but Meike has a completely different root and meaning; it is the Friesian form of Maria/Mary.
Both Meike and Heike are very pretty names, I think.
DeleteI am just thinking though, calling someone a 'Hooray Harry' doesn't really work.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly doesn't!
DeleteExtremely interesting as usual. My father was a Harry. Not Henry. Our ancestors are also supposed to have come across with William the Conqueror. Our Harry was our Home Ruler, and a good one
ReplyDeleteHarry is a friendly sort of name, I always think.
DeleteIs Harry not equally the diminutive of Harold?
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteI always thought Harry and Henry were two distinctly different names
ReplyDeleteI prefer Harry to Henry as names.
DeleteHarry is also a verb meaning to harrass, torment or annoy. I hope that isn't a trait of the Harrys of this world!
ReplyDeleteI can think of one Harry who might fit that verb!
DeleteOur Henrys are sometimes called Hank, and our Harolds are sometimes called Harry.
ReplyDeleteWell, you're American . . . 🤣😂
DeleteIs that bad??? 😁😁😁
DeleteI couldn't possibly incriminate myself. . . .
DeleteI wonder what the typical Harold thinks of Henry being called, Harry.
ReplyDeletePer haps we should carry out a survey!
DeleteIf Harry is as you say an affectionate form of Henry then we should start calling the odious and self-important Prince Harry Henry instead. He was christened Henry Charles Albert David. I much prefer Harry Enfield who was christened Henry Richard.
ReplyDeleteIf htose first two names had been reversed his nickname would have been Chad.
DeleteHi fragrant wife calls him 'Hairy.'
DeleteHenry was not common when I was growing up, the few I knew were called Hank, I don't know why people try to change the names. I introduce myself to everyone as Sandra, yet when they say good bye they say Sandy. I do not like Sandy. My parents had a nickname, Samar and Bob calls me that. In my workplace, my team would introduce me as SanDRA not Sandy..
ReplyDeleteI don't like it when people make free with other people's names.
DeleteSo where does the nickname Hal fit in? 😉
ReplyDeleteGood question!
DeleteHi Janice - Henrys to me ... except as CJ mentions - Hal as in Shakespeare ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteInteresting information about the name. I had an Uncle Harry but we never called him Henry.
ReplyDeleteSome people enjoy messing about with other people's names.
DeleteIt’s fascinating how the name spread across so many languages and even turned into surnames and female forms.
ReplyDeleteI find surnames most interesting.
DeleteInteresting I often forget Henry is Harry.
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteI don't think I ever thought of those two names as that closely related.The Swedish forms would be Harald and Henrik. I think Henrik probably more common than Harald, in my own lifetime. On the other hand, since Harry Potter, I imagine probably more Harrys than Henrys...
ReplyDeleteHarry Potter has certainly had an influence . . .
DeleteI've never met a Harry; perhaps the name is quite rare in Canada?
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to have an 'English' ring to it.
DeleteI had an Uncle Henry. He lived to 100 and was (in a positive way) a home ruler, but I never heard him being called Harry, even at his funeral.
ReplyDeleteNicknames or pet names usually start in childhood, so clearly he was always known as Henry.
DeleteI know several young Henrys, and they do not use the nickname.
ReplyDeleteI know a young Henry, and have a nephew named Harry.
DeleteGreat post ... thank you.
ReplyDeleteWe have no Henrys in the family but we do have a Harry (christened Harry)
Names and their origins are quite fascinating.
All the best Jan
So do we, 😄
DeleteI have never met a Henry or a Harry, probably they aren't popular names down here. My brother has three middle names one of which is Heinz.
ReplyDeleteThree middle names! I haven't even got one!
DeleteA fascinating journey from the Norman Henri to the familiar Harry, all still carrying the meaning “home ruler.”
ReplyDeleteMeanings of names are interesting. I don'[t know if parents still pay attention to them when naming their children.
ReplyDeleteI think more children are christened Harry rather than Henry these days, then there's the longer version of Harry too, Harrison.
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right, Jo.
ReplyDeleteHenry/Harry names go back at least four generations that I know of on my mother's side. My GGGrandfather was a Henry (b.1808); his son, my GGrandfather was also a Henry (b.1831), but when he had a son, my grandfather (b.1874) was named Harry, as was his son (b.1907). The latter Harry was the RN sailor who was lost at sea in WWII when his ship was torpedoed. He had no children. No idea why the generational change of name took place from the formal Henry to the informal Harry.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see the progression from generation to generation.
ReplyDelete