598+ Boy Names Starting with H
This list features Boy Names Starting with H that many parents find appealing for their new babies today and tomorrow. Every name here has a unique story and meaning behind it that makes it special and worth considering carefully by you. Whether you want a name with deep roots or one that feels fresh and modern, you will find options that speak to you and your family members. Take your time looking through what we have gathered here for you today
Think about how the name flows with your family surname when spoken aloud in different situations daily and regularly. Say the full name out loud several times to see if it feels natural and comfortable for everyone hearing it always. Consider whether the name might be shortened or nicknamed by friends later in school years ahead. Choose something that feels right for your child at every stage of life growing up ahead of them.
This list contains 0 names for you to look through and consider carefully over time patiently and thoughtfully always. Take your time going through each one to see what you think about it honestly and openly today. Make notes of the names you like best as you go through the list methodically and systematically. Share your top choices with family and friends to get their thoughts and feedback too on your selections.
Popular Names
Below is a visual overview of the most popular boy names starting with h for boys and girls. Use this snapshot to compare top picks at a glance.
Boy Names Starting with H for Boys
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Home Ruler"
- Description:From Germanic elements for home and rule, it was borne by multiple English kings and remains a staple in European naming.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Son of Hud"
- Description:An English patronymic surname later used as a given name, it references descent from a medieval nickname form.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Son of Harry"
- Description:A patronymic surname-name formed from Harry, historically indicating descent from a man named Henry or Harry.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"One who Hunts"
- Description:Hunter is an English occupational term adopted as a given name, reflecting role-based surname traditions in modern naming.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hay Valley"
- Description:English surname-origin name interpreted from place elements, now widely used as a given name across genders.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hedged Enclosure"
- Description:Transferred from an English surname associated with Old English terms for enclosures or hedged land.
- Origin:French, Germanic
- Meaning:"Iron Worthy"
- Description:Harvey entered English via Norman French, ultimately from Germanic roots interpreted as iron and worthiness.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Deep Valley"
- Description:English place-name surname adopted as a given name, typically interpreted through valley-related landscape elements.
- Origin:Germanic, Dutch
- Meaning:"Ruler of the Home"
- Description:Surname derived from Hendrik forms related to Henry, adopted as a given name in contemporary English usage.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Steadfast Holder"
- Description:A classical Greek name borne by a Trojan hero in Homeric tradition, it conveys notions of holding fast or defending.
- Origin:Germanic
- Meaning:"Mind; Spirit"
- Description:Hugo derives from Germanic elements for mind and spirit, used across many European languages.
- Origin:Germanic
- Meaning:"Home Ruler"
- Description:Commonly a diminutive of Henry, it has longstanding use in English and American contexts as an informal given name.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"God Strengthens"
- Description:From Hebrew Hizqiyahu, a biblical king’s name, conveying the idea of divine strengthening or fortification.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Steadfast; Lion"
- Description:Hamza is an Arabic name prominent in Islamic history, associated with strength and steadfast character in traditional interpretations.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Handsome; Good"
- Description:A major Islamic name borne by Hasan ibn Ali, it is widespread across Arabic-speaking regions and global Muslim communities.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hare Land"
- Description:Used as both surname and given name, it is typically analyzed as a toponym meaning land associated with hares.
- Origin:Scottish, English
- Meaning:"Settlement on Hill"
- Description:Houston is a Scottish place-name surname used as a given name, often interpreted as settlement on a hill.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Huccs Meadow"
- Description:Huxley is an English surname from a place name, later used as a given name within contemporary surname-to-first-name patterns.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Mind; Spirit"
- Description:From Germanic elements meaning mind or spirit, introduced to England through Norman usage and remaining a classic name.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Home Ruler"
- Description:English form related to Henry from Germanic elements for home and rule, long used in Britain across social strata.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Heathland"
- Description:English name from landscape term for open uncultivated land, reflecting a long pattern of topographic naming in English.
- Origin:Scandinavian, Germanic
- Meaning:"Home Ruler"
- Description:A Scandinavian form of Henry, from Germanic elements meaning home and ruler, common across Northern Europe.
- Origin:Old Norse, Germanic
- Meaning:"Army Ruler"
- Description:From elements meaning army and rule, used in medieval Scandinavia and England with long-standing historical attestation.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Ring of Light"
- Description:An English word-name referring to a ring of light, used metaphorically for radiance or sanctity in contemporary naming.
- Origin:Dutch, English
- Meaning:"Wooded Hill Settlement"
- Description:A place-derived name referencing Haarlem and Harlem, used with geographic and cultural associations.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hare Clearing"
- Description:From Old English place elements, it developed as a surname and later became a given name with unisex distribution.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Near Holly Trees"
- Description:From an English surname and place element, it relates to holly and is used as a unisex given name in modern usage.
- Origin:English, Norse
- Meaning:"High Guardian"
- Description:Howard developed from medieval name elements meaning elevated protection and appears in both English and Norse-influenced contexts.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"Vision of God"
- Description:Hebrew-derived name known from angelic traditions, built from elements referencing God and perception.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Handsome; Good"
- Description:Hasan is an Arabic name meaning handsome or good, prominent in Islamic history and widely used across Muslim-majority regions.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Army Hill"
- Description:English place-name surname now used as a given name, associated with toponymic elements meaning hill and army.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Wise, Judicious"
- Description:From Arabic hakim meaning wise or judge, used widely in Muslim communities and transliterated with several spellings.
- Origin:English, Hebrew
- Meaning:"Son of Harry"
- Description:Primarily a patronymic surname, it has been adopted as a given name in Anglophone contexts since the nineteenth century.
- Origin:Germanic, Hebrew
- Meaning:"God Is Gracious"
- Description:A German and Scandinavian short form of Johannes, it carries the John meaning of divine grace and has longstanding European use.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Heathen or Hay Valley"
- Description:A spelling variant of Hayden, from an English surname tied to place-name elements for hay and valley or heath, with debated interpretation.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hugh Settlement"
- Description:Huxton is a modern English surname style given name, likely built from Hugh plus a place suffix.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Safe Place"
- Description:An English word-name indicating a place of safety or refuge, increasingly used as a modern given name.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Home Settlement"
- Description:English place-name and surname meaning home settlement, adopted as a given name particularly in Anglophone contexts.
- Origin:English, Dutch
- Meaning:"From Holland"
- Description:Used as a given name from a toponymic surname, Holland references the region historically called Holland.
- Origin:Germanic, Dutch
- Meaning:"Home Ruler"
- Description:A Dutch and German form related to Henry, derived from Germanic elements meaning home and ruler.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Honor"
- Description:An English virtue name from Latin honor, used historically and revived in modern naming with moral and social connotations.
- Origin:French, Germanic
- Meaning:"Home Ruler"
- Description:Henri is the French form of Henry, from Germanic elements meaning home ruler, widely used in European dynastic history.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Guide; Leader"
- Description:Hadi is an Arabic given name meaning guide, also used as a divine attribute in Islamic theological vocabulary.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Mist; Hazy Atmosphere"
- Description:Adopted from the English word haze, used as a modern word-name evoking mist and atmospheric ambiguity.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Good or Handsome"
- Description:Hussein is an Arabic diminutive form related to حسن, widely used in Muslim communities and strongly associated with early Islamic history.
- Origin:German, Hebrew
- Meaning:"God Is Gracious"
- Description:German diminutive of Hans, ultimately from John and conveying the Hebrew-root meaning of divine graciousness.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Good Handsome"
- Description:Hussain is an Arabic diminutive of Hasan, associated with goodness and prominent in Islamic historical tradition.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hunter Meadow"
- Description:English place-name surname transferred to given-name use, commonly interpreted through elements for hunter and meadow or clearing.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hare or Hazel"
- Description:Hazen originated as a surname with debated roots, sometimes linked to hare terms or hazel-related place elements.
- Origin:English, Germanic
- Meaning:"Heart; Mind"
- Description:Nickname-style form associated with Huckleberry and Germanic Hugh roots, often linked to heart or mind meanings.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"Exalted Brother"
- Description:Hiram is a Hebrew name appearing in biblical narratives, commonly interpreted as exalted brother and associated with Tyrian royalty.
- Origin:Germanic, Spanish
- Meaning:"Bright Warrior"
- Description:Humberto is a Spanish and Portuguese form of a Germanic name meaning bright warrior, established through medieval transmission.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Harp Player"
- Description:An occupational surname meaning harp player, now widely used as a modern given name across genders.
- Origin:Hebrew, Arabic
- Meaning:"Mountain of Strength"
- Description:Arabic form of Aaron, transmitted through Semitic traditions, with meanings variously glossed and often linked to strength motifs.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"High Meadow"
- Description:English place name and surname meaning high meadow, now also used as a contemporary given name.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Wood Grove"
- Description:Holt originates as an English toponymic surname meaning a wooded place, later adopted as a concise given name.
- Origin:English, Scottish
- Meaning:"Son of Henry"
- Description:Primarily a patronymic surname meaning son of Henry, occasionally used as a given name in English-speaking regions.
- Origin:Japanese
- Meaning:"Abundant, Broad"
- Description:Hiro is a Japanese given name used for multiple kanji readings, commonly associated with meanings such as broad or abundant.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Lion"
- Description:Haider is an Arabic name meaning lion, historically used as an epithet and widely adopted across Muslim communities.
- Origin:Yiddish, Hebrew
- Meaning:"Deer"
- Description:A Yiddish nickname form associated with Hirsch and Herschel naming, historically used within Ashkenazi communities.
- Origin:Germanic
- Meaning:"Enclosure or Hedge"
- Description:Germanic in origin and known from medieval legend, Hagen is also associated with words for enclosure or hedge in Germanic languages.
- Origin:Spanish, Germanic
- Meaning:"Bold Voyager"
- Description:Spanish form of Hernán, historically linked to Germanic roots and prominent in medieval Iberian naming.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Crusher of Bread"
- Description:An Arabic name with early Islamic historical associations, traditionally glossed as one who breaks bread or crushes.
- Origin:English, Dutch
- Meaning:"Son of Hendrik"
- Description:A stylized double-x form of Hendrix, a patronymic surname from Hendrik, now used as a given name.
- Origin:Arabic, Hebrew
- Meaning:"Exalted or Mountain"
- Description:Harun is the Arabic form of Aaron, a Semitic name with interpretations including exalted or mountain.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Hero; Warrior"
- Description:Classical Greek name from mythic tradition, also functioning as a virtue name referencing heroic stature.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"Salvation"
- Description:A Hebrew biblical name borne by a prophet, it derives from roots for salvation and appears in multiple religious traditions.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Wise, Judicious"
- Description:An Arabic name meaning wise or judicious, also functioning as an epithet within Islamic philosophical and legal traditions.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hall Settlement"
- Description:Halston is a surname and place-name derived given name, likely referencing a settlement associated with a hall or manor.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Bright Army"
- Description:A Germanic compound name adopted in English, it was especially common during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"High or Hill"
- Description:Hoyt is a surname-derived given name, plausibly linked to topographic terminology though specific etymology varies by lineage.
- Origin:Germanic, Spanish
- Meaning:"Bright Army"
- Description:Spanish form of Herbert, from Germanic elements meaning bright and army, used in Iberian and Latin American contexts.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Brave; Resilient"
- Description:From a Germanic root meaning brave or hardy, long used as an English surname and occasional given name.
- Origin:Portuguese, Greek
- Meaning:"Steadfast Defender"
- Description:Heitor is the Portuguese form of Hector, from Greek tradition, commonly interpreted as a steadfast defender and popular in Lusophone contexts.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Son of Hugh"
- Description:Hudsyn is a modern spelling of Hudson, historically a patronymic surname indicating descent from Hugh or a similar personal name.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Settlement on Hill"
- Description:An English surname from a place name meaning hill settlement, increasingly used as a given name in contemporary Anglophone contexts.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hare Land"
- Description:From an English surname and place-name formation, often analyzed as hare land, though exact early forms vary by locality.
- Origin:English, Scottish
- Meaning:"Crooked Hill"
- Description:Scottish and English surname from a place name, later used as a given name in Anglophone contexts.
- Origin:Germanic
- Meaning:"Army Man"
- Description:Herman is a Germanic name combining elements for army and man, common in medieval and modern European usage.
- Origin:German
- Meaning:"God Is Gracious"
- Description:Hanzel derives from German diminutive forms related to Johannes, historically signifying divine grace and religious heritage.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hart Land"
- Description:Likely formed from English elements hart meaning deer and len or land-like ending, functioning as a modern surname-style given name.
- Origin:Hebrew, English
- Meaning:"Exalted Brother"
- Description:Often treated as a variant of Hiram, a biblical name commonly glossed as exalted brother, with distinctive modern religious associations.
- Origin:Dutch, German
- Meaning:"Home Ruler"
- Description:A continental form of Henry, Hendrik reflects Germanic elements for household or home and rulership.
- Origin:Yiddish, German
- Meaning:"Deer"
- Description:Yiddish form related to Hirsch, meaning deer, widely used in Jewish naming and later adopted more broadly.
- Origin:Arabic, Bosnian
- Meaning:"Guardian; Watchful"
- Description:Used in Arabic and Balkan contexts, it is commonly interpreted with protective semantics and modern international spellings.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"From Hadria"
- Description:A Latin name meaning from Hadria, historically prominent through Roman imperial usage and later revived in modern naming.
- Origin:English, Scandinavian
- Meaning:"Son of Hans"
- Description:Hanson is a patronymic surname from Hans, occasionally used as a given name, reflecting naming practices that recycle surnames.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hazel Tree"
- Description:Hazel is an English nature name referring to the hazel tree, used as a given name since the nineteenth century.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Sun God"
- Description:From Greek mythology as the personification of the sun, used as a given name with classical and solar associations.
- Origin:Yiddish
- Meaning:"Deer, Stag"
- Description:Hersh is a Yiddish given name and nickname form associated with the meaning deer or stag.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Brushwood Settlement"
- Description:English place surname adopted as a given name, conveying toponymic heritage and a formal, clipped phonological profile.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Steadfast; Lion"
- Description:Arabic name associated with Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, commonly glossed as steadfast or lionlike.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Heart; Mind; Spirit"
- Description:Huey is an English diminutive of Hugh, from Germanic roots associated with mind, spirit, or intellect.
- Origin:English, Germanic
- Meaning:"Stag"
- Description:Hart derives from an English word for stag and is also a surname used as a concise given name.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Mind/Spirit; Meadow"
- Description:A contemporary given-name adaptation of Huxley, typically treated as surname-derived, with meaning not central beyond its family-name origin.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"One who Praises"
- Description:Arabic masculine name derived from the root for praise, conveying a sense of commendation or grateful acknowledgment.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Breaker of Bread"
- Description:Hashem is an Arabic name historically glossed as breaker of bread, associated with early Islamic genealogical tradition.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Estate By Hollow"
- Description:From an English place-name meaning settlement or estate by a hollow, used as a surname and later a given name.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Son of Hugh"
- Description:Hutch originated as an English surname and nickname, historically connected to diminutives of Hugh and related patronymics.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Son of Hugh"
- Description:Patronymic surname used as a given name, historically indicating descent from Hugh, a name associated with mind and spirit.
Why Choose Boy Names Starting with H?
Choosing from boy names starting with h gives your child a story-rich start. These names often carry a clear emotional meaning, making your final choice feel both personal and intentional.

Baby Name Expert & Lead Editor
Editor-in-Chief with 15+ years in baby naming and linguistics. Columbia University M.A. in Linguistics.