Name Rarity Checker / How rare is Harper
How Rare Is the Name Harper?
Harper is a modern favorite with an old surname behind it. It ranks 540th of all time in U.S. records, with about 1 in 2,678 people sharing it, which puts it in the Uncommon tier. It was most popular in the 2010s. Here is the full picture, decade by decade, plus a card you can save and share.
- Rarity
- 1 in 2,678
- Tier
- Uncommon
- U.S. rank
- 540th
- Share of people
- 0.0373%
- People named
- 138,906
- Most popular
- the 2010s
Based on U.S. births recorded by the Social Security Administration, 1880 to 2024. Figures describe recorded names, not people alive today.
About the name Harper
Harper began as an English occupational surname for someone who played the harp. It moved to a first name and took off in the 2010s, helped along by author Harper Lee and by high-profile celebrity use.
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Frequently asked questions
- How rare is the name Harper?
- Harper is in the Uncommon tier. About 1 in 2,678 people share it, which is 0.0373% of all recorded U.S. names, and it ranks 540th of all time. In total 138,906 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
- Is Harper a rare name?
- Not quite. Harper is uncommon rather than rare. About 1 in 2,678 people share it, ranked 540th of all time, so it leans less common without being genuinely rare.
- How common is the name Harper?
- About 1 in 2,678 people in U.S. records share the name Harper, which is 0.0373% of all recorded names and 540th of all time. That places it in the Uncommon tier.
- Is Harper a boy or girl name?
- In the records, Harper is given almost entirely to girls. Of 138,906 people with the name, 132,214 were girls and 6,692 were boys.
- When was the name Harper most popular?
- Harper peaked in the 2010s. The bars on the card show its popularity for every decade from 1880 to 2024.