Konrad

Konrad is a male given name of Germanic origin. It is formed from the elements kon- or kun- meaning “bold” or “brave” and -rad meaning “counsel” or “advice,” yielding “bold counselor.” The name appears in medieval German sources as Conrad or Konrad, and it was associated with nobility and church figures. In modern times it remains common in German-speaking countries and in Poland, where Konrad is the standard form; English-speaking countries typically use the form Conrad as an equivalent. Variants include Conrad and Konrád (Hungarian); in various languages there are diminutives such as Koni or Konni.

Notable people named Konrad include Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967), the first postwar Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany; Konrad Lorenz (1903–1989), Austrian ethologist and Nobel Prize laureate; Konrad Zuse (1910–1957), German engineer and pioneer of computing; and Konrad Duden (1829–1911), German philologist who codified German orthography. These figures illustrate the name’s historical prominence and continued use across Europe.

In culture, the name Konrad appears in literature, film, and other media, reflecting its enduring presence in Germanic-speaking regions and beyond. The form has persisted alongside cognates such as Conrad in English and Konrád in Hungarian, underscoring the name’s wide historical and linguistic reach.