Harper Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Harper is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Harper?
Harper is spelled H-A-R-P-E-R. The name has 6 letters.
Harper at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- One who harps or plays the harp.
- Origin
- The name Harper is commonly associated with the English occupational surname for someone who played the harp.
- Pronunciation
- HAR-per · 2 syllables
Harper Popularity in 2025
Rank#16
Recorded Births6,792
Rank#1,976
Recorded Births77
- Girls usage fell 4 places to #16 and recorded 602 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 200 places to #1,976 and recorded 15 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Harper Mean?
One who harps or plays the harp.
Origin: The name Harper is commonly associated with the English occupational surname for someone who played the harp.
How Do You Pronounce Harper?
PronunciationHAR-per
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Harper?
- History
- Harper was originally a surname before becoming used as a given name in English-speaking countries.
Harper Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 6,792 | #16 |
| 2025 | Boys | 77 | #1,976 |
| 2024 | Girls | 7,394 | #12 |
| 2024 | Boys | 92 | #1,776 |
| 2023 | Girls | 7,799 | #11 |
| 2023 | Boys | 127 | #1,432 |
| 2022 | Girls | 8,227 | #11 |
| 2022 | Boys | 139 | #1,347 |
| 2021 | Girls | 8,448 | #10 |
| 2021 | Boys | 149 | #1,273 |
| 2020 | Girls | 8,849 | #10 |
| 2020 | Boys | 149 | #1,245 |
| 2019 | Girls | 10,497 | #9 |
| 2019 | Boys | 202 | #1,028 |
| 2018 | Girls | 10,646 | #9 |
| 2018 | Boys | 214 | #970 |
| 2017 | Girls | 10,524 | #11 |
| 2017 | Boys | 286 | #798 |
| 2016 | Girls | 10,803 | #11 |
| 2016 | Boys | 299 | #791 |
| 2015 | Girls | 10,311 | #10 |
| 2015 | Boys | 341 | #722 |
| 2014 | Girls | 9,619 | #11 |
| 2014 | Boys | 328 | #730 |
When Was Harper Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
2016 · Girls
10,803 recorded births
National rank #11
2018 · Girls
10,646 recorded births
National rank #9
2017 · Girls
10,524 recorded births
National rank #11
2019 · Girls
10,497 recorded births
National rank #9
Where Harper Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| NE | #3 | 80 |
| WV | #4 | 62 |
| ME | #5 | 43 |
| LA | #6 | 119 |
| MT | #6 | 36 |
| AL | #7 | 150 |
| AR | #7 | 83 |
| SD | #7 | 31 |