Harold

• IPA^(key): /ˈhæɹəld/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Homophone: herald (Mary–marry–merry merger)

From a merger of Old English Hereweald and Old English Harold (itself from Old Norse Haraldr),^[1] both from Proto-Germanic *Harjawaldaz, from *harjaz (“army”) +‎ *waldaz (“ruler, authority”). Related to Walter, which has the elements reversed. Cognate with Danish, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish Harald, Faroese and Icelandic Haraldur.

Harold (plural Harolds)

1. A male given name from Old English or Old Norse.
   • 1882, Alfred Tennyson, The Promise of May:

     For I have heard the Steers / Had land in Saxon times; and your own name / Of Harold sounds so English and so old / I am sure you must be proud of it.

   • 1984, Ruth Rendell, The Killing Doll, Pantheon Books, →ISBN, page 42:

     She called her husband Hal because no one else had ever done so and it had a dashing ring, rather out of keeping with Harold's appearance.

• Hereward
• Harvard

First performed by The Committee, a San Francisco improv group, in 1967. The name is said to have been jokingly suggested by one of the audience.

Harold

1. A particular format of improvised theatre, in which characters and themes are introduced and then recur in a series of connected scenes.

• holard, hordal

From Old Norse Haraldr, from Proto-Germanic *Harjawaldaz, from *harjaz (“army”) +‎ *waldaz (“ruler, authority”), equivalent to here +‎ weald. Doublet of native Hereweald.

Harold m

1. a male given name

• English: Harold