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[mouse31e]

Originally posted by rlbell+Feb 8 2006, 01:45 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (rlbell @ Feb 8 2006, 01:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

More likely, it means brave/hard leader with reference to strength rather than brutality and it's Germanic, not English.

My name is Andrew. I won't add a picture because I don't have any!

No, its old english. It may have a common root with a similar german word, but it is english.

English is like that. A friend of mine, James Nichols (not famous, but you might have heard of him), once commented:

People who go on about the purity of the english language amuse me. English has the purity of a cribhouse lady. It does not just borrow words, it lures weaker languages into back alleys, and then rolls them for any spare words in their pockets. [/b][/quote]
According to the two sources I've listed below (which admittedly may not be completely accurate, but I couldn't be bothered to dig any deeper!) the name is made up from the germanic elements 'ric' (meaning power, rule, leader, braveheart) and 'hard' (meaning brave, hardy, strong) and was introduced to the english language by norman settlers from europe. This would imply that the name was in use elsewhere prior to it's use in England.

http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=richard and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard.