Richardson

Richardson is a boy's baby name of Old English origin, a patronymic surname meaning 'son of Richard' — Richard itself from the Germanic Richart, composed of ric (power, ruler) and hard (hard, brave), meaning 'powerful brave one.'

With over 659 recorded births, Richardson has the distinguished quality of an Old English surname used as a given name through the American tradition of surname-as-first-name. The Richardson family name has been borne by Nobel laureate Ralph Richardson, novelist Samuel Richardson (author of Pamela), and numerous distinguished figures across literature, science, and public life.