Harriette is a feminine given name of English origin. It is derived from the French name Harriet, which in turn is derived from the German name Henrietta. The name Henrietta is composed of two elements: the Germanic word "heim" meaning home, and the Teutonic word "ric" meaning power or ruler.
The name Harriette therefore means "home ruler" or "ruler of the home". It has been used in England since the Middle Ages, but it became more popular during the Victorian era. In the United States, the name Harriette was most commonly used between 1880 and 1920.
Some notable people named Harriette include the American socialite and philanthropist Harriet Lane (1834-1903), who served as First Lady of the United States during the presidency of her uncle, James Buchanan; and the British novelist and poet Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), author of the famous anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin".
The name Harriette experienced significant popularity fluctuations over time, with a noticeable decline in recent decades. The highest number of births recorded was 280 in 1923, while the lowest was just 5 births in both 1975 and 2002. Since 1964, there have been fewer than 50 births per year on average.