(male) A perennially popular given name, of Continental Germanic origin, from haim ‘home’ + rīc ‘power, ruler’. It was an Old French name, adopted by the Normans and introduced by them to Britain. It has been borne by eight kings of England. Not until the 17th century did the form Henry (as opposed to Harry) become the standard vernacular form, mainly under the influence of the Latin form Henricus and French Henri.
Pet forms: Hal, Hank, Harry.
Cognates: Irish: Anraí, Éinrí. Scottish Gaelic: Eanraig. German: Heinrich; Henrik, Hinrich (Low German). Dutch: Hendrik. Scandinavian: Hen(d)rik. French: Henri. Spanish: Enrique. Catalan: Enric. Portuguese: Henrique. Italian: Enrico. Polish: Henryk. Czech: Jindřich. Slovenian: Henrik. Finnish: Heikki. Hungarian: Henrik. Lithuanian: Henrikas.
