Roderick

Roderick m

English: of Germanic origin, composed of the elements hrōd fame + rīc power. This name was introduced into England, in slightly different forms, first by Scandinavian settlers in the Danelaw and later by the Normans. However, it did not survive beyond the Middle English period. It owes its modern use to a poem by Sir Walter Scott, The Vision of Don Roderick (1811), where it is an Anglicized form of the cognate Spanish name RODRIGO (SEE Rodrigo), borne by the last Visigothic king of Spain, whose vision is the subject of the poem. It is now also very commonly used as an Anglicized form of two unrelated Celtic names: Scottish Gaelic Ruairidh (see RUAIDHRÍ (SEE Ruaidhrí)) and Welsh RHYDDERCH (SEE Rhydderch). See also RURIK (SEE Rurik).

Pet form: Scottish: Roddy.

Feminine forms: Scottish (Highland): Rodina, Rhoda.