Henryk is a boy's name of Polish origin. It is derived from the German name Henry, which itself comes from the Old French name Henri, meaning "home ruler." The name Henryk has been popular in Poland for centuries and has been borne by many notable figures throughout history. For instance, Henryk Sienkiewicz was a Polish Nobel laureate writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905. Another famous bearer of this name is Henryk Gorecki, a renowned Polish composer known for his minimalist music style. Despite its foreign origin and somewhat old-fashioned sound in English-speaking countries, Henryk remains a beloved and traditional name in Poland.
The name Henryk experienced a significant decline in popularity from the early to mid-20th century until the 2000s. However, it began to gain traction again around 2007 and has since become quite popular, with its peak occurring recently between 2015 and 2022.