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Gender: Female Meaning of Harriet: "estate ruler" Origin of Harriet: English variation of French Henriette

The name Harriet is a girl's name of French, English origin meaning "estate ruler". Harriet and is often added to lists like Old Lady Names and discussed in our forums with posts like "Rate the Previous Signature!".

From the experts:


Distinguished namesakes include Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the influential Uncle Tom's Cabin; Harriet Tubman (born Araminta), the famed abolitionist; and in pop culture, Harriet Hilliard Nelson, of Ozzie & Harriet TV fame. Many will associate it with the protagonist of the childhood classic Harriet the Spy. Harriet has appeared in other books ranging from Jane Austen's Emma to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Harriet, a Top 100 name at the turn of the last century, hasn't appeared on the list since 1970. On the other hand, it is currently Number 61 in England and Wales.

Cutesy nicknames for Harriet include Hattie, Hetty, and Hatsy. A related idea: Henrietta.

Find other names based on Harriet using our baby name generator.

Famous People Named Harriet

Harriet Beecher Stowe, American novelist
Harriet Nelson (born Peggy Louise Snyder), American singer and actress, wife of Ozzie Nelson
Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross), American abolitionist
Harriet Mary Walter, English actress
Harriet Ruth Harman, British Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
Harriet Martineau, English social theorist
Harriet Ellan Miers, 31st U.S. White House Counsel
Harriet Ann Jacobs, American slave narrative author
Harriet Sansom Harris, American actress
Harriet Andersson, Swedish actress
Harriet Roberts, English dance pop singer
Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana (Howard) Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, British Mistress of the Robes
Harriet Sarah, Lady Mordaunt, Scottish divorcee of MP Charles Mordaunt and friend of King Edward VII
Harriet Arbuthnot, English diarist and friend of the Duke of Wellington
Harriet Hemings, daughter of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson

Pop Culture References for the name Harriet

Harriet Chetwode-Talbot, main character in film "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Harriet Welsch, main character in Louise Fitzhugh's "Harriet the Spy"
Harriet Jones, character on TV's "Doctor Who" and "Torchwood"
Harriet Vanger, character in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Harriet Smith, character in Jane Austen's "Emma"
Harriet Vane, character in Dorothy L. Sayers' "Gaudy Night"
Harriet Oleson, character on TV's "Little House on the Prairie"
Harriet Goodcharm, character on TV's "The Worst Witch"
Harriet "Harry" Watson, sister of Dr. John Watson on TV's "Sherlock"
Harriet Beadle "Tattycoram," character in Charles Dickens' "Little Dorrit"
Harriet Townsend, character in "Yesterday's Child" by Barbara Woo
Harriet Bentley, character in film "Wild Child"
Harriet Schulenburg, character on British TV's Green Wing"
Harriet Hayward, character on TV's "Twin Peaks"
Harriet, dog character in children's books by Nancy Carlson
Harriet, character in "The Maze Runner" series
Harriet Kepner-Avery, daughter of Dr. Jackson Avery and Dr. April Kepner on "Grey's Anatomy"
Mad Harriet, villain in DC Comics
Harriet Arkham, character in Batman comics
Harriet Hyde, alter-ego in British TV series "Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde"
Harriet Morton, character in Eva Ibbotson's novel "A Company of Swans"
Harriet Sims, U.S. Navy officer in the TV show JAG
Harriet, character in the videogame “Super Mario Odyssey”