Romualdo

Romualdo is a masculine given name of Italian origin, the Italian form of the Germanic name Romuald. It is derived from the elements hrōd, meaning fame or glory, and wald, meaning ruler or power, giving the overall meaning of “fame-ruler” or “glory-power.” The name arrived in Latin and Italian use during the Middle Ages and remains in use in Italy and in regions influenced by Romance languages, such as Portugal and Brazil. In English-language contexts, the corresponding form Romuald is more common, while Romualdo is typically the Italian spelling.

In religious and cultural contexts, the most prominent bearer of the name is Saint Romuald (San Romualdo), an Italian monk who lived around the late 10th and early 11th centuries and who founded the Camaldolese monastic order. He is venerated in the Catholic Church, and his legacy contributed to the spread of the name in medieval and subsequent periods.

Beyond its religious association, Romualdo has appeared in Italian literature and history as a given name for various clerical, scholarly, and public figures over the centuries. Today it remains most common in Italian-speaking communities and in Lusophone countries, where local forms and diminutives may be used. The name has analogues in other languages, such as Romuald in English and Romualdo in Portuguese and Spanish. See also San Romualdo, the title given to visionary monks and to places named in his honor.