# What could "Harry" be short for **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 2, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130 "2004-02-02T02:43:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/21 "2004-02-02T12:15:20Z")
It’s short for Angharad, but that’s a girls name… ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/22 "2004-02-02T13:29:03Z")
> [@brainfizz](#): > > …Angharad… How do you pronounce that? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/23 "2004-02-02T14:10:43Z")
Harcourt. As in Harcourt Fenton (“Harry”) Mudd. See? Not only a great name, but a great role model too. (Yes, I am a sad ageing Star Trek geek. And I don’t care.) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/24 "2004-02-02T14:37:24Z")
> [@js\_africanus](#): > > How do you pronounce that? It’s Welsh and therefore quite phonetic: ANG-har-ad. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/25 "2004-02-02T15:25:12Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > Harrington sounds like it needs a “the third” behind it. Pretty snooty name. I have a cousin named Harrison; however, the family never shortens it to Harry. It’s always been Harrision. [hijack]You want snooty names? I knew a guy named H. McCoy Van Devender III. We called him Mac. [/hijack] > [@Tripler](#): > > Anyone that would say Indiana Jones was portrayed by “Harry” Ford would most definitively get a slap upside the head from me. Harry Ford. Harry Ford. Harry Ford. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/26 "2004-02-02T16:08:18Z")
I love the name Harry and if we hadn’t named our first son William, we’d definitely consider it for the next (not yet conceived) kid. I like Harrison and I think by the time anyone born now would be in school, Harrison Ford would have started to fade from memory. ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/27 "2004-02-02T16:18:25Z")
My grandpa’s name was Harry. Not short for anything, just Harry. He was pretty successful and carried his name well for 79 years. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Angel\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_Heart)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/28 "2004-02-02T16:24:27Z")
In middle school, I knew a guy named Harry whose full name was Harbaugh. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/29 "2004-02-02T16:42:56Z")
“His real name is Hairladen, but we just call him Harry for short.” ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/30 "2004-02-02T20:27:23Z")
My grandfather called himself Harry. His real name was Hugo. Probably best not to saddle the poor kid with that one. What’s wrong with just plain Harry? It worked for Truman. ---
**Author:** ![Titan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Titan2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Titan2)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/31 "2004-02-02T20:36:04Z")
If you like Harry-use it. A perfectly normal name.IMO.Not short for anything.Think Harry Truman.Maybe a little retro but I see more Emily’s,eg,popping up now than in the past about 20-30 years or so. If the other kids use a nickname it could turn out to be Stinky,fat Harry,or other depends on the characteristics.The same could be said for Harrison or other more formal names.I knew a Fart (nickname) in high school,that to this day, do not know what his given name was. When he’s an adult they’ll fade away (hopefully).Unlike Fart’s almost perpetual stench. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/32 "2004-02-02T23:21:51Z")
Well just plain Harry was good enough for [David Letterman](http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/04/letterman.ap/). Besides, I like it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/33 "2004-02-03T00:51:05Z")
I think plain Harry is fine, too. There’s always that one teacher who’ll insist on calling you Harold and it’ll irk you to no end. Plus, there’s no question of whether you go by something else. Alternately, Harris Hari Harlan Harald Haraldur (oo, icelandic) harmon harper ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/34 "2004-02-03T01:02:57Z")
How about Hieronymus, as in Hieronymus Bosch, the artist? People would admire you for your literate choice of name! You child might seek to have you hanged, but it would still be worth it. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/35 "2004-02-03T01:55:31Z")
I had a Great-Great-Uncle Harry, just Harry, and that was a Problem. See, his last name was Groethe, which in German was pronounced roughly GRUH-tuh. And this was all well and good, except that his parents had Anglicized the pronunciation. To Growth. I am not joking. Wisely, after some dreadful years in grade school he changed the pronunciation to Grow-thee (with a hard th). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/36 "2004-02-03T04:20:42Z")
You want your “child” to be called “Harry” and I assume that the references to “him” in the rest of the OP are just default pronoun usage. So I suggest: “Henrietta” (if the case arises) Some of favorite old Norse names similar to “Harry”: HARALD, HAROLD (c’mon, give it another try) HERRICK, HERRYK\* HARDAR HARDBEIN HERJOLF (But I can ensure you that “Herryk” will get transformed into “Harry K” by data entry operators.) ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/37 "2004-02-03T08:01:46Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > How about Hieronymus, as in Hieronymus Bosch, the artist? People would admire you for your literate choice of name! You child might seek to have you hanged, but it would still be worth it. I second that! If I ever have a son, I think I’ll either give him a traditional Scandinavian name (speaking of which, Haraldur was also a good suggestion) or call him Hieronymus. I figure any son of mine is going to grow up warped anyway. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/38 "2004-02-03T14:06:55Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > Duh, I can’t believe I didnt think of this before…what about just HARRIS by itself? Without the -on part, it shouldn’t bring up any unpleasant Harrison Ford references. 🙂 Just never come here to London - “Aris” is slang for your arse. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/39 "2004-02-03T17:55:29Z")
Name him Hhhaaarrrrrryyy ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130/40 "2004-02-03T19:08:14Z")
Well, my boss is seemingly named just plain “Harry”, but I just found out his real name: “Heraclio”. ::snort:: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-harry-be-short-for/227130.md?page=3)