Hal

Updated: July 13, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Hal originated as a nickname in Old England, Germany, and modern America. It represented names like Harry, Harold, and Hallie. In modern times, Hal is a top 8,000 option at rank 7,976.

Meaning of the name Hal:

German: home ruler
English: home ruler, army ruler
American: nickname

Origin of the name Hal:

Hal began as the shortened form of Henry, Harry, or Harold. Harry was the English version of Henry in Medieval times. Henry itself comes from the Germanic Heimirich, which means “home ruler.” It comes from the words “heim” and “ric.” Harold comes from the Old English Hereweald. It comes from the words “here” and “weald.” In modern times, Hal became a nickname for Haley or Hallie, titles for girls.

Symbolism of the name Hal:

The baby name Hal has three different meanings and cultural origins. For boys, it is the shortened form of Harry first. Harry has the same meaning as Henry, as it was originally a nickname for it. Both titles translate to “home ruler.” Hal could also come from Harold, which translates to “army ruler.” Finally, Hal means “nickname” if it began as a modern diminutive for Hallie or Haley.

Style of the name Hal:

Traditional for boys, modern for girls

Gender of the name Hal:

Hal is a unisex and simple baby name.

Pronunciation of the name Hal:

HAL

Number of syllables in the name Hal:

One

Emotion evoked from the name Hal:

Hal feels simple and wholesome. It is a fun-loving and kindhearted baby name.

Alternative spellings for the name Aden:

Hall

Nicknames for the name Hal:

Hallie
Hally
Halli
Al
Allie
Ally

Popularity of the name Hal:

Hal was on the top 1,000 list of the Social Security Popularity Index until 1975 at number 924. Hal did best in 1956 at rank 305. As of 2021, Hal is a top 8,000 option. It is number 7,976 for boys or girls.