Howard
[ˈhaʊərd]Meaning
from Old Norse Hávarðr, "high" + "guardian"; also from other surname sources
Background Story
Howard is an English surname used as a given name, derived from several sources: the Anglo-Norman Huard, from the Germanic Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian Haward, from the Old Norse Hávarðr; or the Middle English ewehirde, "ewe herder". In the case of the noble house that has held the title Duke of Norfolk since the 15th century, the likely source is Hávarðr, from há ("high") and varðr ("guardian"). The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names (1945) notes that use of the surname as a given name is quite recent. Diminutives include Howie and Ward.
Variations
Howie, Haward
Related Names
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