Harriet
Harriet is the English feminine of Henry, from the Germanic "Heimrich" — "heim" (home) and "ric" (ruler). The name means "home ruler." It entered English in the 17th century as an Anglicized form of the French Henriette. The name has a serious, slightly Victorian quality — it sounds like it belongs in a 19th-century novel. Harriet was a top-100 American name from 1880 to 1935, peaking at #71 in 1895. Then it declined steeply. Harriet re-entered the US top 1000 in 2017 after a long absence — the vintage revival reaching the Victorian layer. The most famous bearer is Harriet Tubman (c.1822-1913), the abolitionist who escaped slavery and then returned to the South approximately 13 times to lead dozens of enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad. I find Harriet has a serious, slightly austere quality — the "H" opening is gentle, the "rr" gives it weight, and the "et" ending gives it a slight French formality. Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (1852), helped ignite the abolitionist movement. The name carries enormous moral weight. Harriet is a female name of Germanic / French origin that means "Home ruler (feminine of Henry)". Serious, principled, and Victorian. The name sounds historic. Harriets tend to be moral. US re-entered top 1000 in 2017. Now climbing. Well-known people named Harriet include Harriet Tubman (abolitionist), Harriet Beecher Stowe (author), Harriet (fictional, various), Harriet Walter (actress). Common variations and related forms of Harriet include Henriette (French), Henrietta (Latinized), Hattie (nickname), Hallie (modern).