Ava Kowalski

By Ava Kowalski
Global Naming Traditions Specialist

Updated on September 06, 2024

Ferdinand

US Popularity Rank: 8118

Origin: German

Meaning: Bold voyager

Ferdinand is a most daring boy's name backed by a lineage of royals and emperors. Adopted from the Visigothic Kingdom, Ferdinand is Germanic in origin and means "bold voyager," from the elements farð, "journey," and nanth, meaning "courage." While legendary explorer Ferdinand Magellan certainly lived up to the name's etymology, Ferdinand is perhaps best remembered as the young shipwrecked prince in Shakespeare's The Tempest.