Harper
Harper was the number 22 most popular girls' name in England and Wales in 2024, given to 1,461 babies that year, according to the Office for National Statistics. As general background, Harper is usually said to be of English origin, meaning one who plays the harp, from an occupational surname. The popularity figures are the real ONS count and rank; the meaning is widely attested etymology, not a claim about any individual.
Harper in the ONS data
| ONS rank (2024, England and Wales) | 22 of the girls' names |
| Babies given this name (2024) | 1,461 |
| Registered as a | girl's name |
Source: ONS Baby names in England and Wales, 2024 edition, released 2025-07-31. Accessed 2026-06-14. The rank and count are the real ONS figures for England and Wales. Refreshed each year on the ONS release.
What Harper means
Harper is usually described as a name of English origin, meaning one who plays the harp, from an occupational surname. This is general etymological background drawn from established naming reference works. It describes the name's history and is not a claim about any individual who carries it.
Meanings and origins are general background, not ONS data and not advice.
Harper also appears in these lists
Harper is one of our picks for these baby name themes, all drawn from the ONS 2024 top 50.
Names like Harper
Other ONS top-50 names that share a theme with Harper.
Nearby in the girls' ranking
- 21. Willow
- 22. Harper
- 23. Charlotte
Names and Family Data Desk, BabyData
BabyData's editorial desk builds and documents the tools, citing the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind every number. Pregnancy-related tools are editorially reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.
Last reviewed: 12 June 2026