Origin of the name Henry:

From the French Henri, from the German Heinrich, which is from the Old High German Haganrih (ruler of an enclosure), a compound name composed from the elements hag (an enclosure, a hedging-in) and rihhi (ruler), and from the Old High German Heimerich (home ruler), a compound name composed from the elements heim (home) and rik (ruler, king). The name, introduced by the Normans and borne by eight English kings, took the English vernacular form of Harry until the 17th century, when Henry became popular and Harry was used as the pet form.

From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.Buy the book