A male name. compound of Old German fardi ‘journey’ and nanthi ‘risk’, ‘venture’.

The name was never very common in Teutonic countries, but was carried south by the Goths and became very popular in Spain (it was borne by many kings of Castille) as Fernando, Hernan, Hernando, and also in Italy as Ferdinando, Ferrante. Ferrand was not uncommon in France and England in the Middle Ages, and gave rise to the surnames Farrand, Farrant, Farren, &c. By the 14th C, however, the name seems to have died out. In the 16th C the It form Ferdinando suddenly came into use in England. The earliest examples noted are Sir Ferdinando Heybourne (b. 1558) and Ferdinando Stanley, later 5th Earl of Derby (b. 1559). From then until the end of the 17th C Ferdinando was not uncommon, particularly in the landed families of the Midlands, though it was also used regularly by some northern families such as the Stanleys and Hudlestons.

Ferant Hundred Rolls 1273. Ferrant Hundred Rolls 1273. Ferentus Testa de Neville, or Book of Fees, temp. Hen. III-Edw. I 13th C.

From a Teutonic compound signifying ‘adventuring life’, perhaps equivalent to ‘one who leads an adventurous life’, a knight errant. It is an English, French and German name, popularised by that saintly king of the first half of C13: Ferdinand III, King of Castile and Leon. ‘A brave soldier, he won back from the Moors... Seville and Cordova, and gave its deathblow to their rule in Spain.’ ‘The idol of his people,’ he was ‘heedful to do no wrong to the least of his subjects’ (Benedictines). It has, ever since early C11, been a kingly, princely, and aristocratic name.

Meidinger, among several other names compounded of nand for genannt (kundig), gives a New High German name Ferdinand. The Old German fert is rendered facilis, facilis in agendo, so that fert-nand might translate figuratively ‘one quick of comprehension,’ or ‘man of rare abilities.’

Teutonic (masculine) - Daring.

A Teutonic name, meaning: Of adventurous life: brave.