Howard is an English male given name derived from the Old German 'Hohart', meaning 'strong heart'. It was brought to England by the Normans after their conquest in 1066 and has since been popular in English-speaking countries, gaining prominence during the Middle Ages and associated with notable families like the Howards of Surrey. Today, Howard remains a strong and distinctive name with over 150,000 people bearing it as a surname in the United States alone.