Howard is a male given name of English origin that has been used for centuries. It was originally derived from the Old German name "Hohart" which means "strong heart". The name was brought to England by the Normans after their conquest in 1066 and has since become popular in English-speaking countries.
The name Howard gained prominence during the Middle Ages when it was used by several notable families. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey who lived in the late 15th to early 16th century. He was a prominent poet and courtier during the reign of King Henry VIII.
The name Howard has also been associated with the American Howard family who were prominent industrialists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the most well-known members of this family was William Howard, who served as a US Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson.
Today, Howard is still used as a given name but it has also become popular as a surname. It is estimated that there are over 150,000 people with the surname Howard living in the United States alone. Despite its popularity, Howard remains a strong and distinctive name that carries a sense of history and tradition with it.
The name Howard experienced significant popularity and fluctuation over the years, with a peak of 1467 births in 1911 and a sharp decline to a low of 194 births in recent years (2020). The name reached its zenith during the early 20th century but has since become quite uncommon.