Hal

Hal is an English medieval short form of Harry, which itself is an anglicized pronunciation of Henry, a name of Old Germanic origin composed of the elements heim (home) and ric (power or ruler), meaning roughly ruler of the home or lord of the estate. The name gained lasting literary fame through Shakespeare's Prince Hal, the nickname of the future King Henry V in the history plays. Its casual, friendly character kept it in common use as an independent given name in the English-speaking world through the twentieth century. Related forms include Harry, Henry, and the Latinate Enrique.