Rainard is a masculine given name of Germanic origin, serving as a variant of Reynard. The root name Reynard derives from the Old Germanic Raginhard, composed of the elements regin ("advice, counsel, decision") and hart ("hard, firm, brave, hardy"). This name was introduced to England by the Normans in the form Reinard, though it never gained widespread popularity there. Etymology and History The name Rainard follows the same etymological path as its related forms, such as Reinhard (German) and Renard (French). The original compound name Raginhard was common among the Germanic peoples, combining the elements for counsel and strength. The Normans, who were of Viking origin but became French-speaking, carried the name to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the most enduring associations of the name comes from medieval beast epics, where the character Reynard the Fox became a sly trickster figure. The fame of these stories led to the French word renard replacing the older word for fox, goupil. This literary legacy has given names in the Reynard family a slightly foxy double meaning. Notable Bearers