UK name, mostly boys
Harman
A name derived from Old English meaning "soldier" or "warrior".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Harman is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Harman popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2088, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 31 births.
This profile covers 447 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 35% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 444 living people in the UK are called Harman. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Harman ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 31 boys were registered as Harman.
- • About 444 living people in the UK are estimated to have Harman as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 87.6% of Harman registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2088
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2012
31 births
Estimated living
444
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Harman
In England and Wales birth records, Harman has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 87.6% of registrations are for boys and 12.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Harman registered for boys
- Ranked #2,088 in 2024
- 11 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2012 (31 births)
Harman registered for girls
- Ranked #4,684 in 2018
- 4 girls registered in 2018
- Peak: 2010 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Harman mean?
The name Harman is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German name "Hariman" or "Hareman," composed of the elements "hari" meaning "army" and "man" meaning "man." It was a popular name during the medieval period, particularly in regions with strong Germanic cultural influences.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Harman can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Hareman" in this historical record.
In the 12th century, there was a notable figure named Harman of Arundel, an English nobleman who served as Sheriff of Sussex and was involved in the construction of Arundel Castle. His exact birth and death dates are uncertain, but he lived during the reign of King Henry II in the latter half of the 12th century.
Another significant bearer of the name was Harman Becker, a German inventor and entrepreneur born in 1815. He founded the company Becker Autoradio, which became a leading manufacturer of car audio systems. Becker's innovations played a crucial role in the development of car radio technology.
In the realm of literature, Harman Pied is a character in the 16th-century English play "The Tragedy of Piers Gaveston" by Michael Drayton. The play centers around the life of Piers Gaveston, a favorite of King Edward II, and Harman Pied is depicted as a servant or attendant to Gaveston.
One of the most notable figures with the name Harman was Harman Kardon, born in 1924 in New York City. He was an American audio equipment designer and businessman who founded the renowned Harman Kardon audio company, which became known for producing high-quality home and professional audio products.
While the name Harman has its roots in Germanic languages, it has been adopted and used across various cultures and regions throughout history, reflecting its longevity and enduring appeal as a given name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Harman over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Harman in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Harman, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 31 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Harman by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Harman was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2213 | 52 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1214 | 230 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1470 | 138 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1697 | 27 | 4 |
Notable bearers
Famous people named Harman
-
Harman Tarrant
politician; surgeon
Irish-born Australian surgeon and politician (1844-1900)
1844-1900
-
Harman Blennerhassett
politician; lawyer
Anglo-Irish lawyer and plantation owner (1765–1831)
1764-1831
Related
Names similar to Harman
- Harry 141,693
- Henry 65,177
- Harrison 45,958
- Harvey 35,648
- Harley 22,095
- Hugo 18,779
- Hayden 12,622
- Hunter 10,350
- Hudson 9,104
- Hamza 8,564
- Hassan 5,982
- Hasan 3,599
FAQ
Harman: questions and answers
How popular is the name Harman in the UK right now?
In 2024, Harman was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Harman most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 31 babies registered as Harman in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Harman?
A name derived from Old English meaning "soldier" or "warrior".
How many people are called Harman in the UK?
A total of 447 babies have been registered as Harman across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.