Henrietta
Henrietta is the Latinized feminine of Henry, from the Germanic "Heimrich" — "heim" (home) and "ric" (ruler). The name entered English in the 17th century through the French Henriette. Henrietta Maria of France (1609-1669) was the wife of King Charles I of England — the colony of Maryland was named after her. Henrietta was a top-300 American name from 1880 to 1945, then declined steeply. Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) was the African-American woman whose cancer cells, taken without her consent, became the HeLa cell line — one of the most important tools in medical research history. Her story was told in Rebecca Skloot's 2010 bestseller "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." I find Henrietta has an ornate, slightly Victorian quality — the four syllables give it length, and the "etta" ending gives it a musical quality. The nickname Etta is one of the great vintage pet forms. The name has been outside the US top 1000 since 1965 but retains a literary-historical charge. Henrietta is a female name of Germanic / Latin origin that means "Home ruler (feminine of Henry)". Ornate, Victorian, and quietly accomplished. The name sounds literary. Henriettas tend to be sharp. US outside top 1000 since 1965. Well-known people named Henrietta include Henrietta Lacks (HeLa cell donor), Henrietta Maria of France (Queen of England), Henrietta (fictional, various), Henrietta (Maryland named after). Common variations and related forms of Henrietta include Harriet (English form), Henriette (French), Enriqueta (Spanish), Etta (nickname).