Henny

Henny is a female first name that is used as a pet form of Henrike and Henriette in both Germany and Scandinavia. In the Netherlands, it also serves as a pet form for the male name Hendrik. All these names are derived from the Old High German Heinrich and mean 'the mistress/master' or 'the ruler of the homeland', derived from the Old High German words heim (home, house) and rihhi (powerful, rich, ruler).

What does the name Henny mean?

Henny is a pet form of the female first names Henrike and Henriette, which are widespread in Germany and Scandinavia. In the Netherlands, the name is also used as a pet form for the male name Hendrik, spelled Hennie. The origin of all these names is the Old High German first name Heinrich, which translates to 'the mistress/master' or 'the ruler of the homeland'. The roots lie in the Old High German terms heim (home, house) and rihhi (powerful, rich, ruler). Henny was already very popular in Germany in the 19th century but fell out of favor for a long time. Since the late 20th century, it has been increasingly used as a girl's name. Notable bearers of the name include the German actress Henny Reents and the Dutch singer Henny Thijssen. Similar variants are Henna and Henni.

How do you pronounce Henny?

The name Henny is pronounced as two syllables in German, usually as 'Hen-ny' [ˈhɛni], with the first syllable stressed. The short 'e' provides a clear sound, while the double 'n' enhances the soft middle. The bright 'i' at the end gives the name a lightness. Overall, Henny comes across as friendly and down-to-earth - simple, warm, and familiar.

When is the name day of Henny?

The name day for Henny, as a variant of Henrike, is celebrated on February 21 and December 6. For the male name Henny, as a variant of Hendrik, the name days fall on January 8, January 19, January 23, March 11, March 31, April 4, May 25, June 10, July 13, July 15, and December 20.

Popularity

In Germany, Henny is a popular first name. Currently, it ranks 2,723rd in the list of the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2009, when it reached 971st place. Over the last ten years, Henny has been given as a first name around 170 times, placing it 1,818th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,794th.

Nicknames & pet names

Enni / Enny / Henna / Hennychen / Hennylein

Famous people

• Henni Nachtsheim (Comedian ('Badesalz'), singer, author, and actor)
• Henny Anna Maria Hinsch (actress from Germany)
• Henny Backus (American actress)
• Henny Borchers (German opera singer)
• Henny Brenner (German writer)
• Henny Koch (writer from Germany)
• Henny Lauritzen (actress from Denmark)
• Henny Moan (actress from Norway)
• Henny Murer (Norwegian dancer)
• Henny Nordländer (German theater actress)
• Henny Porten (actress and silent film star)
• Henny Reents (German actress)
• Henny Skjoenberg (actress from Norway)
• Henny Trundt (German opera singer)
• Henny Vegter (Dutch sailor)