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Name Origin

Harold is a Germanic name meaning 'army ruler' or 'ruler of the army'. It combines the elements 'heri' (army) and 'wald' (rule).

germanicmasculinearmyrulerpowerleadership

Famous People

Harold Godwinson (1022-1066)

King of England

  • Last Anglo-Saxon king of England
  • Defeated the Norwegians at the Battle of Stamford Bridge

Harold Macmillan (1894-1986)

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

  • Led the Conservative Party to victory in the 1959 general election
  • Oversaw a period of economic growth and prosperity in Britain

Harold Pinter (1930-2008)

Playwright, poet, actor, director

  • Nobel Prize in Literature (2005)
  • Known for his minimalist and absurdist plays

Harold Abrahams (1899-1978)

Athlete, Olympic gold medalist

  • Won the 100 meters at the 1924 Summer Olympics
  • Subject of the film 'Chariots of Fire'

Harold Bloom (1930-2019)

Literary critic and theorist

  • Authored numerous influential books on literature and literary theory
  • Developed the concept of 'the anxiety of influence'