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Harald as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Harald

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The baby name Harald is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˈhærəld/ (HAIR-əld); Norwegian/Swedish/Danish: /ˈhɑːrɑld/ (HAH-raahld); Old Norse: /ˈhɑrɑlðr/ (HAH-raldr).

Harald is Norse in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Norse
Pronunciation: English: /ˈhærəld/ (HAIR-əld); Norwegian/Swedish/Danish: /ˈhɑːrɑld/ (HAH-raahld); Old Norse: /ˈhɑrɑlðr/ (HAH-raldr)

What is the meaning of the name Harald ?

The baby name Harald is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˈhærəld/ (HAIR-əld); Norwegian/Swedish/Danish: /ˈhɑːrɑld/ (HAH-raahld); Old Norse: /ˈhɑrɑlðr/ (HAH-raldr).

Harald is Norse in Origin.

Harald is the Scandinavian and German form of a pan‑Germanic name built from Proto‑Germanic roots *harjaz “army, host” and *waldaz “ruler, power.” In Old Norse it appears as Haraldr, conveying “army ruler” or “leader of the host.” The form Harald is standard in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, while German uses the same spelling; Icelandic adapts it as Haraldur.

The name flourished in the Viking Age and medieval Scandinavia, borne by famed rulers such as Norway’s Harald Fairhair and Harald Hardrada, and Denmark’s Harald Bluetooth. Through Norse influence and Anglo‑Saxon cognates (Old English Hereweald), it connects to the English Harold, notably King Harold II in 1066. Usage persisted in royal and traditional families, with modern prominence in figures like King Harald V of Norway. Variants and cognates include Harold (English), Haraldur (Icelandic), Haroldo (Spanish/Portuguese); common diminutives in English are Hal and, less strictly, Harry.

Harald has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Harald

Harald V of Norway Royal · Born 1937 · Norway Harald V of Norway is the King of Norway, having ascended to the throne in 1991. He is known for modernizing the Norwegian monarchy and engaging actively with the public. Born in 1937, he has played a significant role in representing Norway on the international stage. Harald Bluetooth Royal · Born 911 · Kingdom of Denmark Harald Bluetooth was a king of Denmark and Norway, best known for uniting much of Denmark and helping bring Christianity to the region. Also called Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson, he died around 985 or 986. Harald II of Denmark Royal · Born 994 · Kingdom of Denmark Harald II of Denmark, most famous for briefly serving as king of Denmark, was also known as Harald Svendsen. He appears to have ruled around 996 to 998.
Harald Greycloak Royal · Born 935 · Norway Harald Greycloak, also known as Haraldr gráfeldr, was a 10th-century Norwegian king best known for ruling Norway during a turbulent period. His nickname means "Grey-hide," and he is referred to in Old Norse, Norwegian, and Danish sources under similar forms of the name. Harald III of Denmark Royal · Born 1041 · Kingdom of Denmark Harald III of Denmark, also known as Harald Hen, was a king of Denmark from 1074 to 1080. He is known for his relatively peaceful reign and efforts to strengthen the church in Denmark. Harald Schmidt Actor|musician · Born 1957 · Germany Harald Schmidt is a German actor, comedian, television host, and writer, best known for leading two hugely popular German late-night shows. Born on 18 August 1957, he became one of Germany’s most recognizable TV personalities through his sharp comedy and talk-show work.

Harald – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Austria Boys 0 #32 3,605 2,180
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
EE 0 #36 2 1,051
Austria Boys 1993 #43 112 61
Austria 0 #64 227 850
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
Norway Boys 2025 #83 60 444
Germany Boys 0 #83 7,322 5,697
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
GE Boys 0 #110 1 2,055
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
EE Boys 0 #119 7 2,087
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
Sweden Boys 2022 #124 59 1,509
CY Boys 0 #129 3 3,473
Switzerland Boys 2024 #136 2 1,769
Germany 0 #160 392 2,542
HU Boys 0 #172 3 3,954
MT Boys 0 #177 3 4,064
CZ 0 #185 2 3,154
DK 0 #189 15 5,198
LU Boys 0 #215 6 4,970
BG Boys 0 #219 2 3,850
NA Boys 0 #226 10 6,830
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
DK Boys 0 #259 67 7,401
HR Boys 0 #259 1 3,997
GR Boys 0 #272 2 6,912
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
CZ Boys 0 #295 10 6,530
AL Boys 0 #302 2 5,122
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
PL Boys 0 #321 15 6,459
CN Boys 0 #328 4 9,639
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
NL 0 #342 50 2,481
SD Girls 0 #358 1 7,678
BR 0 #359 2 5,969
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
PT Boys 0 #377 5 7,951
France Boys 2021 #381 7 2,865
Finland Boys 0 #400 28 2,041
PH Boys 0 #406 3 11,440
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
CL 0 #428 7 6,867
MX 0 #445 1 8,339
NL Boys 0 #456 641 5,873
ZA 0 #471 4 14,421
AR Boys 0 #478 6 7,628
GT Boys 0 #496 4 7,625
CO 0 #509 2 7,768
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
Finland Boys 2026 #523 170 3,552
RU Boys 0 #524 3 12,621
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
HK Boys 0 #554 4 12,905
IR Boys 0 #557 9 10,162
PS Boys 0 #560 2 10,655
KW Girls 0 #561 1 19,177
CM Boys 0 #575 1 12,054
CL Boys 0 #619 47 13,390
BO Boys 0 #621 2 9,244
IT 0 #687 28 4,183
SG Boys 0 #732 8 17,960
QA Boys 0 #742 2 18,093
BR Boys 0 #780 6 12,213
KW Boys 0 #804 3 18,755
Germany Girls 0 #818 21 4,949
PE Boys 0 #864 15 14,506
Spain Boys 0 #869 62 5,610
United States Boys 2024 #880 13 7,044
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
CO Boys 0 #974 8 15,656
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
NG Boys 0 #999 3 16,906
MX Boys 0 #1,029 5 16,355
IT Boys 0 #1,118 356 10,046
AE Boys 0 #1,136 8 22,615
ZA Boys 0 #1,142 37 25,619
MY Boys 0 #1,176 7 25,439
MA 0 #1,199 1 20,986
TR 0 #1,252 3 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,604 11 28,008

Harald is popular in 59 countries — most recent births per country:

Norway
France
Sweden
Austria
Switzerland

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People also ask about Harald

Harald is predominantly a boy's name.
Harald is a 2 syllable name, pronounced English: /ˈhærəld/ (HAIR-əld); Norwegian/Swedish/Danish: /ˈhɑːrɑld/ (HAH-raahld); Old Norse: /ˈhɑrɑlðr/ (HAH-raldr).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Haraldr (Old Norse), Haraldr (Old Norse spelling), Haraldur (Icelandic), Harold (English), Haroldo (Spanish/Portuguese) and Harald (Scandinavian/German).
Across languages, Harald has these equivalents: Harold (English), Haroldo (Spanish/Portuguese), Haraldur (Icelandic), Haraldr (Old Norse), Harald (Norwegian/Swedish/Danish/German), and 1 more.
Yes, very popular — Harald ranked #43 in Austria in 1993, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Harald ranks highest in Austria (#43 in 1993).
Harald's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #94 in 2015 to #83 in 2025 in Norway.
Yes — 7 notable people named Harald are in our database, including Harald V of Norway (Royal), Harald Bluetooth (Royal), Harald II of Denmark (Royal).