Howard

wiktionary

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

etymonline

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Howard

proper name, from Old French Huard, from a Germanic source similar to Old High German *Hugihard "heart-brave," or *Hoh-weard, literally "high defender; chief guardian." Also probably in some cases a confusion with cognate Old Norse Haward, and as a surname also with unrelated Hayward. In some rare cases from Old English eowu hierde "ewe herd."