Given name & surname · also Irish, Germanic
Erhard
“a man of strong resolve”
Erhard is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “a man of strong resolve.”
Original GermanErhart
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “a man of strong resolve.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Germanic and Irish naming traditions.
How it developed
Its Germanic formation brings together éra (“honour, respect”) and hard (“hardy, brave, strong”).
The story
The name’s historical associations include a 7th-century saint, allegedly of Irish origin.
Erhard through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 110
- 110 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1917
- 15 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 6 in 1935. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 15 in 1917. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 236 as a first name in 2020; 918 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Erhard’s family of names
In East Central German usage, Erhard has a diminutive in EHR. In German usage, Erhard has a related form in Erhardt. In German usage, Erhard has a related form in Erhardt.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Erhard has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Germanic roots to each of them.
7 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Erhard
- Erhard SchmidtGerman mathematician (1876–1959)
- Erhard LoretanSwiss mountaineer (1959-2011)
- Erhard RausGerman general (1889–1956)
- Erhard KellerWest German speed skaterborn 1944
- Erhard BusekAustrian politician (1941-2022)
- Erhard WunderlichGerman handball player (1956–2012)
- Erhard KrackGerman politician (1931-2000)
- Erhard WeigelGerman mathematician and inventor (1625–1699)
- Erhard KroegerBaltic German politician (NSDAP), MdR, SS officer and Holocaust perpetrator (1905–1987)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Erhard, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Othmar
“treasure”
>99% boys
Erasmus
“one who is dearly loved”
>99% boys
Otmar
“treasure” · “famous”
>99% boys
Eunan
>99% boys
Ottomar
“treasure”
>99% boys
Seymore
“moor” · “from the French town of Saint Maur”
>99% boys
Mcelwain
“son of the servant of (Saint) Beathan”
—
Mcclendon
“son of the servant of (Saint) Fintán”
93% boys · 7% girls