Hrodebert

Hrodebert is a medieval Germanic given name formed from the roots hrod- 'fame, glory' and beraht 'bright'. The combination yields a meaning such as 'fame-bright' or 'glory-bright'. The form appears in Old High German and related Frankish records, with spellings including Hrodeberht and Hroberht, and Latinized forms such as Hrodebertus in charters and annals.

Attestation of the name is largely confined to the early medieval period in the Frankish-speaking world. It is usually treated as a historical source for its etymology rather than a modern given name. Specific individuals named Hrodebert are rarely documented in surviving sources; when the name appears, it is often in Latinized form rather than vernacular usage.

Linguists consider Hrodebert an ancestor of the later given name Robert. Through successive phonological changes in Germanic and Romance-speaking areas, the form contributed to the development of Robert in English and other languages.

Modern usage is limited to linguistic and historical discussion. Hrodebert is not commonly used today, but its study helps explain the origin and spread of the name Robert.

See also: Robert; Hrothbert; Hrodberht.