The first name Hardy
A boy’s name from French meaning “hardy”, “daring”, “stout”.
Pronounced /ˈhɑɹdi/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
French origin
Hardy means “hardy”, “daring”, “stout” in French.
* As an English, Scottish, and French surname, from Middle English hardy, hardi, from Old French hardi (“hardy, daring, stout, bold”). * As an Irish surname, via mac giolla deacair (“son of the hard lad”) as a calque of the above. * Also as a Scottish surname, variant of Hardie.
More names that mean brave.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 12 boys were named Hardy, making it the 2,014th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 18 births (#1,382).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Hardy with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Hardy at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 54 boys born in the United States were named Hardy, the 2,496th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 151 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Hardy
8 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Hardy KrügerGerman actor (1928–2022)
- William Hardy McNeillCanadian historian and writer (1917–2016)
- Hardy Krüger Jr.German actor, born 1968
- Hardy BinguilaCongolese footballer, born 1996
- Hardy CrossAmerican engineer (1885–1959)
- Cecil BeatonBritish photographer, designer, socialite, writer (1904–1980)
- James H. WilkinsonEnglish mathematician (1919–1986)
- Nell CarterAmerican actress and singer (1948–2003)
More French boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Hardy mean?
- Hardy means “hardy”, “daring”, “stout” in French.
- What is the origin of the name Hardy?
- * As an English, Scottish, and French surname, from Middle English hardy, hardi, from Old French hardi (“hardy, daring, stout, bold”). * As an Irish surname, via mac giolla deacair (“son of the hard lad”) as a calque of the above. * Also as a Scottish surname, variant of Hardie.
- How popular is the name Hardy?
- In 2025, 12 boys born in England and Wales were named Hardy, ranking 2,014th. Its peak was 2018, with 18 births.
- Is Hardy a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 5,831 US babies named Hardy since 1880 were boys.
- When was Hardy most popular?
- 1921 in the United States, when 151 babies were named Hardy, its highest rank at 503rd.
- How do you pronounce Hardy?
- Hardy is /ˈhɑɹdi/, 2 syllables.
- Is Hardy also a surname?
- Yes. Hardy is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.