Howard

Medieval personal name from Old Norse Hávarðr, from hár (“high”) + varðr (“guard”). In some cases a variant of Heward, from Old French Huard.[1]

Howard (plural Howards)

1. A patronymic surname​.
   • 1675 Edward Phillips, Egerton Brydges: Theatrum Poetarum Anglicanorum. page V:

     Henry Howard, the most noble Earl of Surry, who flourishing in the time of King Henry the 8.th, as his name is sufficiently famous for the martial exploits of that family for many generations, so deserves he, had he his due, the particular fame of learning, wit, and poetic fancy

2. A male given name, transferred back from the surname. Short form: Howie.
   • 1984 Louise Erdrich, Love Medicine, Bantam Books 1987, →ISBN, page 238,250:

     "King Howard Kashpaw, Junior," said his new teacher. "Which one of those names would you like to be called?"

     He had never thought about it.

     "Howard," he was surprised to hear himself answer. It was that simple. After that he was Howard at school. - - -

     ""He don't call himself Little King anymore," Lynette said from the kitchen. "He thinks his name's Howard."

     "Howard?"

     The boy looked at me and nodded.

     "He won't claim his dad no more," said King, standing in the doorway. "He's too good."

3. A small city in Kansas, USA, and the county seat of Elk County.
4. A small city in South Dakota, USA, and the county seat of Miner County.

• Curry-Howard correspondence
• Howard County
• Howardian, Howardian Hills
• howardite