Ryszard is a Polish masculine given name of German origin. It is derived from the Germanic elements "ric" meaning "power" or "strong" and "hard" meaning "brave". Thus, Ryszard means "strong and brave".
The name was introduced to Poland by the Piast Duke of Kraków, Mieszko II Lambert (1126-1138), who had two sons named Ryszard. The younger son, Ryszard of Pologne, became Duke of Kraków upon his father's death in 1138, but he was murdered shortly afterwards.
Despite this tragic event, the name Ryszard continued to be popular among Polish nobles throughout history. It was also borne by several notable figures, including the 14th-century poet and nobleman Jan Długosz, who wrote under the pseudonym "Ryszard Cœur de Lion".
Today, Ryszard remains a relatively uncommon but historically significant name in Poland. It is often shortened to its diminutive forms such as Ryś or Ryco, which are also used as independent names.
In summary, Ryszard is a strong and brave Polish name of German origin that has been worn by notable figures throughout history.
Here are some interesting statistics regarding the name Ryszard in the United States:
From 1970 to 1991, there were a total of 33 babies named Ryszard born in the U.S.
Looking at the birth numbers year by year:
- In 1970, Ryszard was given as a name to 7 newborns.
- Three years later, in 1973, this number decreased slightly with 6 births.
- The following years saw a consistent number of babies named Ryszard: 5 in both 1977 and 1979.
- Then there was another peak in 1980 with also 5 births that year.
- Lastly, in 1991, the name Ryszard was given to another 5 newborns.
These statistics show that while Ryszard may not have been an extremely popular name during this period, it was consistently chosen as a name for newborn boys over these years.