Hattie is a nickname for Harriet, the English feminine form of Harry and Henry, and so it means "home ruler". It was hugely popular in the late 19th century, when actress Hattie McDaniel was born; she went on to become the first Black performer to win an Academy Award in 1940. After decades out of use, Hattie returned to the US top 1000 in 2011 and has climbed to number 334 in 2025, its highest rank in this century.