Howard

Meaning of Howard

Howard is an Anglo-Norman import that ultimately reaches back to the Old Norse name Hávarðr—composed of the elements hár (“high”) and varðr (“guardian”)—so its literal sense is “high guardian” or, more colloquially, “chief protector.” After crossing the channel with the Normans, it mingled with identical-sounding Middle English words and, over time, settled into the succinct two-syllable form pronounced HOW-ərd. The name enjoyed real clout in early-20th-century America—buoyed by the prominent Howard family of English nobility, the daring industrialist Howard Hughes, and Egyptologist Howard Carter—before beginning a long, steady slide down the U.S. charts; today it hovers respectably in the 700s, proving hard to dislodge entirely. Modern pop culture keeps it in modest circulation through characters like Howard Wolowitz of “The Big Bang Theory” and Marvel’s Howard Stark, while Howard University preserves its scholarly sheen. All told, the name carries an understated, almost tweed-jacketed dignity—no longer a roaring fashion choice, yet still quietly reliable for parents who prefer a solid classic to a passing headline.