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Name Origin

Henrietta is a feminine given name of French origin. It is a diminutive of Henriette, which itself is a feminine form of Henry. The name Henry derives from the Germanic elements 'heim' meaning 'home' or 'estate' and 'ric' meaning 'ruler' or 'powerful'. Therefore, Henrietta traditionally signifies 'ruler of the home' or 'powerful at home.'

frenchfemininediminutivehomerulerpowerfultraditional

Famous People

Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951)

Tobacco farmer

  • Her cancer cells, taken without her knowledge or consent, became the first immortal human cell line (HeLa) used in countless scientific breakthroughs.

Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1868-1921)

Astronomer

  • Discovered the period-luminosity relationship for Cepheid variable stars, a crucial tool in measuring cosmic distances.