Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Richard” come from?

Richard is an English name derived from Old French Richard, which came from Latin Ricohardus, a name of Germanic origin meaning "powerful ruler."

Ancestry of “Richard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishRycharde—
2Old FrenchRichard—
3Medieval LatinRichardus—
4FrankishRīkahard—
5Proto-GermanicRīkaharduzA male given name
6Proto-Germanicrīksking, ruler
7Proto-Celticrīxsking
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rḗǵsking, ruler
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

Words derived from “Richard”

  • Richardson
  • Rich
  • Rick
  • Hitchcock
  • Ricky
  • Ritchie
  • Higgs
  • Higginson
  • Riches
  • Hick
  • Ricks
  • Hitchens
  • Ricketts
  • Ritson
  • Hitch
  • Rickard
  • hiccup
  • hickock
  • Rix
  • Hickson
  • hick
  • Hiscock
  • Rickards
  • Rickett
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →