Harper
HAR-per /ˈhɑːr.pər/
Meaning of Harper
Harper is an English occupational surname meaning a player of the harp — an itinerant musician in medieval English society. It moved into use as a first name (initially for boys) in the late 19th century, and has been overwhelmingly a girls' name in the US since the 2000s, driven by Harper Lee (author of To Kill a Mockingbird) and a broader trend of surname-style girls' names.
Current popularity of Harper
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #10 |
Notable bearers of Harper
Harper Lee (1926–2016, author of To Kill a Mockingbird); Harper Seven Beckham.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Harper — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31