Harry

Reading today that the most popular name for boy babies last year was Harry (see here) reminded me about the very old verb to harry. It comes originally from a root meaning 'army, host' and, indeed, in Old English there was the word here meaning 'army', which was the word usually chosen to describe the Viking invading armies. The name of the Anglo-Saxon rebel leader Hereward the Wake is related. The name of the Essex port Harwich means 'army camp', and Harlow, also in Essex, means 'the hill associated with an army'. Harbour, too, spelled in late Old English hereberȝe (army protection), derives from the same root. 

 

Nowadays harry can mean to pester or torment, but a thousand years ago or so, when an army harried, it ravaged, pillaged and devastated completely.

 

The man's name Harry is not from the verb to harry, but is a familiar form of the name Henry, which was originally French. The Middle English pronunciation of the French Henri with the nasal vowel was Herry, which eventually became Harry. It's always been a common name, hence the expression every/any Tom, Dick and Harry ie everyone or anyone.

Comments

[Marc Leavitt]

Hi Susan:
You added to my store of Old English (isn't there a direct connection between harbour and Le Havre?), but I also was reminded of the name of the fellow who's next in line to William for the Throne. Might that not have something to do with the name's current popularity?

[Virtual Linguist]

Thanks Marc. I should imagine that Le Havre is related to the English haven, which can mean harbour, but which in Old English was hæfen (hæf meant 'sea').

I'm sure that Prince Harry does have something to do with the name's popularity, although he has been around for 27 years and Harry has been lower down the list for most of that time. Jack was the most popular boy's name for 14 years running. I think the popularity of Harry might also have something to do with Harry Styles of the boy band One Direction, who came to fame on The X Factor in 2010.

[Marc Leavitt]

Hi Susan:
I think you're right about "haven." The interesting thing there is that "harbour" can be either a noun or a verb, but haven remains glued to use as a noun (although some research-inclined person will probably tell me I'm wrong). Also, as you know, pronunciation of the "f" in Old English within a word as "v," presumably retains the original pronunciation, except for the ash (ae) after "h."