UK girl's name
Henny
A feminine diminutive of the name Henrietta, of German origin meaning "ruler of the household".
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.
Henny is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Henny popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 12 births.
This profile covers 116 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2002 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 115 living people in the UK are called Henny. 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
- • Henny ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 12 girls were registered as Henny.
- • About 115 living people in the UK are estimated to have Henny as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2017
12 births
Estimated living
115
2026
Meaning
What does Henny mean?
The name Henny has its origins in the Germanic language family, derived from the root word "hain" meaning "home" or "homestead." It was initially a diminutive form of the masculine name Henrich or Heinrich, which itself is a combination of the elements "heim" (home) and "ric" (ruler or power).
The earliest recorded instances of the name Henny can be traced back to the Middle Ages in various regions of central and northern Europe, where it was commonly used as a nickname or shortened form of the more formal Heinrich. In some areas, it was also a standalone given name in its own right.
One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the name Henny was Henny Pörnbacher, a 14th-century German nobleman and landowner who lived from around 1320 to 1385. Records from that time show him as a prominent figure in the region now known as Bavaria.
In the 16th century, Henny Hülsmann (1501-1573) was a Dutch merchant and trader who played a significant role in the establishment of trade routes between the Netherlands and the Baltic region. His business dealings and travels were well-documented in historical records of the time.
Moving into the 17th century, Henny van Opstal (1622-1688) was a Dutch painter known for her still-life works depicting flowers and other natural elements. Her paintings can be found in various museums and private collections across Europe.
In the field of literature, Henny Marsman (1899-1942) was a Dutch poet and writer who was part of the avant-garde literary movement in the early 20th century. His works, including collections like "Paradijs" and "Tempel en Kruis," explored themes of modernity, existentialism, and the human condition.
More recently, Henny Youngman (1906-1998) was an American comedian and violinist known for his quick-witted, one-liner jokes. He was a popular performer in vaudeville and on early television, and his signature line "Take my wife, please" became a catchphrase.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Henny, which has its roots in the Germanic languages and has been used across various European cultures for centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Henny over time
The chart below shows babies named Henny registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 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 Henny, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Henny by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Henny 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 | #3855 | 29 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3772 | 68 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3795 | 19 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Henny
- Hannah 67,635
- Holly 52,307
- Harriet 24,781
- Hollie 17,902
- Harper 15,784
- Heidi 12,675
- Hallie 9,873
- Hope 9,414
- Hayley 5,968
- Hazel 5,954
- Hanna 5,735
- Heather 5,497
FAQ
Henny: questions and answers
How popular is the name Henny in the UK right now?
In 2024, Henny was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Henny most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 12 babies registered as Henny in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Henny?
A feminine diminutive of the name Henrietta, of German origin meaning "ruler of the household".
How many people are called Henny in the UK?
A total of 116 babies have been registered as Henny across the 19 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.