Harold

Meaning of Harold

Harold means "army ruler" or "power of the army." It combines the elements "here" (army) and "weald" (ruler).

Harold has Scandinavian roots — browse every Scandinavian baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Harold

After ranking as high as #538 in 2000, Harold has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Harold

• Harold Ramis
  Actor, comedian, director
• Harold Lloyd
  Silent film comedian
• Harold Pinter
  Nobel-winning playwright
• Harold Ford Jr.
  U.S. Representative, Tennessee
• Harold Bloom
  Literary critic, professor

More Scandinavian names

Questions about the name Harold

What does the name Harold mean?

Harold means harold means "army ruler" or "power of the army." it combines the elements "here" (army) and "weald" (ruler), and it comes from Scandinavian origins.

Is Harold a boy's or a girl's name?

Harold is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Harold?

Harold did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Harold most popular?

Harold peaked at #538 in 2000.