The name Harriet is of a Germanic origin, the name Heimiric specifically, or more noticeably, Heinrich. The masculine equivalent is Harry. More appropriately used are the two variants Henriette and Henry, both coined by Norman emigrants in England.

Literally, Harriet means "ruler of the home", a rather patriarchal meaning if I choose to gather superficially, but perhaps the meaning stems to somewhat of a kind, firm spirit who, when in top form, rules wisely with undeniability and love, if we look at 'home' as meaning 'heart' as meaning 'love'.

Such is a list of variants:
* Drika (Dutch)
* Endika (Basque)
* Enrica (Italian)
* Enriqueta (Spanish)
* Etta (English)
* Etti (English)
* Ettie (English)
* Etty (English)
* Haliaka (Hawaiian)
* Halle (English)
* Hallie (English)
* Hariala (Hawaiian)
* Hariata (Hawaiian)
* Harrieta (English)
* Harriet (English)
* Harriett (English)
* Harrietta (English)
* Harriette (English)
* Harriot (English)
* Harriott (English)
* Hat (English)
* Hatsy (English)
* Hatti (English)
* Hattie (English)
* Hatty (English)
* Heike (Dutch), (Frisian, German)
* Heinrike (German)
* Heintje (Dutch)
* Hendrika (Dutch)
* Hendrikje (Dutch)
* Henka (Polish)
* Henna (Finnish)
* Hennie (Dutch), (English)
* Henny (Dutch), (English)
* Henrieta (Polish)
* Henrietta (English)
* Henriette (Danish, Dutch, French, German, Norwegian)
* Henriikka (Finnish)
* Henrika (Swedish)
* Henrike (German), (Scandinavian)
* Henriqueta (Portuguese)
* Henryka (Polish)
* Hetta (English)
* Hetti (English)
* Hettie (English)
* Hetty (English)
* Jetje (Dutch)
* Riette (English)
* Rika (Dutch, Swedish)
* Rike (German)
* Rikka (Finnish)
* Yetta (English)
* Yettie (English)
* Yetty (English)

Of those, the second to last, Yettie, is the most odd, in my opinion.
As we know, the Yeti is a Himalayan beast with dimensions twice that of an ape, but with a more human gate in its totality. Now, the home of the Yeti is a wide expanse of snow, mountains and just plain, lifeless, dreary rock. With the original meaning, it would be fear to say, that of this wide, lifeless habitat, the Yeti would quite naturally be the "Ruler of the Home", with perhaps only the odd Buddhist monk for a friendly companion who can see eye to eye with his peaceful nature with an illusory first-impression.
I suppose the only Yeti's in either England or Normandy are humans with the name Yettie, which, let's not deny, would be a more common nickname than anything, which are in themselves not taken too seriously.

Another type of 'beast' is the Harriet tortoise, a long-living, large beast of the beach.