UK boy's name
Henryk
A masculine Polish name derived from the German name Heinrich, meaning "ruler of the home".
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.
Henryk is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Henryk popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1025, with 29 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 33 births.
This profile covers 306 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 2005 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 88% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 324 living people in the UK are called Henryk. 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
- • Henryk ranked #1025 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 29 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 33 boys were registered as Henryk.
- • Henryk ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #619 in 2024.
- • About 324 living people in the UK are estimated to have Henryk as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1025
2024
Births in 2024
29
Latest year
Peak year
2020
33 births
Estimated living
324
2026
Meaning
What does Henryk mean?
The name Henryk has its origins in the Germanic language, derived from the words "heim" meaning "home" and "ric" meaning "ruler" or "power". It is a variant of the name "Heinrich" which was popular among the nobility and royalty of medieval Europe.
The earliest recorded use of the name Henryk can be traced back to the 12th century in Poland, where it was a common name among the ruling class. One of the most notable historical figures with this name was Henryk the Bearded (1165-1238), a Polish prince and Duke of Silesia.
In the 14th century, the name gained popularity in other parts of Europe, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Henryk the Navigator (1394-1460), a Portuguese prince who sponsored numerous voyages of exploration and is credited with laying the groundwork for Portugal's Age of Discovery.
Another notable figure was Henryk VIII (1491-1547), the King of England from 1509 to 1547, known for his six marriages and his role in the English Reformation. His reign marked a significant period in English history and set the stage for the rise of Protestantism in the country.
The name also found its way into the world of literature, with Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1916) being a prominent figure. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his historical novels, including the celebrated "Quo Vadis" set in ancient Rome.
In the field of music, Polish composer Henryk Górecki (1933-2010) gained international recognition for his contemporary classical works, particularly his "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs" which became a surprise hit in the 1990s.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Henryk throughout history, a name that has left its mark across various cultures and disciplines.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Henryk over time
The chart below shows babies named Henryk registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 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 Henryk, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 29 births in 2024, compared with 33 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Henryk by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Henryk 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 | #1016 | 146 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1749 | 152 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3476 | 8 | 2 |
Geography
Where Henryk is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Henryk. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Henryk ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #619 in 2024.
Across the UK
Henryk in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#619 in 2024
4 years of NRS records, 20 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Henryk
-
Henryk Busiakiewicz
architect
Peerage person ID=524784
1957-
-
Henryk Szczęsny
flying ace; military officer
Polish fighter pilot and officer
1909-1996
-
Henryk Piątkowski
military officer; athletics competitor
Polish sportsperson, officer and athletics competitor
1902-1969
Related
Names similar to Henryk
- 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
Henryk: questions and answers
How popular is the name Henryk in the UK right now?
In 2024, Henryk was ranked #1025 for boys in England and Wales, with 29 births registered.
When was Henryk most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 33 babies registered as Henryk in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Henryk?
A masculine Polish name derived from the German name Heinrich, meaning "ruler of the home".
How many people are called Henryk in the UK?
A total of 306 babies have been registered as Henryk across the 16 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 20 more in Scotland.
Where is Henryk most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Henryk ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #619 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.