Long forgotten in favor of more modern names, the first name Henri is slowly making a comeback in French naming trends. According to the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee), the name, once popular in the early 20th century, had nearly vanished from birth registries by the 2000s. However, recent data shows a gentle resurgence, with 390 newborns named Henri in 2025, compared to just 167 in 2009. For many years, Henri was considered a name of the past, more likely to appear in family records than on birth certificates. According to Insee, the name was widely used in 1920, with 11,255 boys named Henri. Its popularity declined steadily over the decades, reaching a low point in 2009. However, since the start of the 2020s, the name has seen a modest revival, with a steady increase in its use among new parents. Henri is a name with a rich history in France. It has royal roots, derived from the Germanic names Haimric and Heinrich, and carries a classic, elegant appeal. Its resurgence reflects a growing interest in traditional names among young parents, who see Henri as a rare and refined choice. Insee categorizes it as a "timeless" name—one that, while not dominant, never completely disappears from the naming landscape. According to Insee data compiled from the National Register of Identification of Natural Persons (RNIPP), the name Henri has experienced a yo-yo effect over the past century. It peaked in 1920, remained popular until the 1950s, and then gradually declined until 2009. Since then, the trend has reversed slightly, with the number of births bearing the name increasing from 320 in 2020 to 390 in 2025. Over the course of the 20th century, 405,331 boys in France were named Henri, according to Insee. Between 1946 and 2025, 69,063 people were named Henri, including 69,027 boys and 36 girls. In 2025, Henri ranks around 150th among male names in France—a modest but significant position in a rapidly diversifying naming landscape, where the number of different names has grown from 8,007 in 1946 to 65,940 in 2025.