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Home › Baby Names Directory › Reynard

Reynard

♂ Boy

Pronounced RAY-nard /ˈreɪ.nɑːrd/Medium

Meaning: Reynard comes from the Germanic Reginhard — ragin ('counsel; advice') plus hard ('brave; strong; hardy') — giving 'brave counsel'. In medieval French and Dutch fable, Reynard is the name of the trickster fox, so widely told that renard became the ordinary French word for 'fox'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Clever and courtly: Reynard means 'brave counsel' — and it is the name of the fox in medieval fable (said 'RAY-nard').
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Origin MediumFrench, Germanic
MeaningReynard comes from the Germanic Reginhard — ragin ('counsel; advice') plus hard ('brave; strong; hardy') — giving 'brave counsel'. In medieval French and Dutch fable, Reynard is the name of the trickster fox, so widely told that renard became the ordinary French word for 'fox'.
U.S. rank (2024)#13758 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1964
Total births (all-time)≈ 715

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198319152024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Reynard descends from the Germanic Reginhard, 'brave counsel' (ragin, 'counsel' + hard, 'brave'). It became famous as the name of the cunning fox in the medieval Roman de Renart and its Dutch and German cousins — tales so popular that the fox's name became the French word for the animal. The name reads clever, courtly, and a touch mischievous (said 'RAY-nard').

In the U.S. it is rare. Rare, literary, and characterful.

Did you know? The Reynard tales were so beloved in medieval France that the fox's name replaced the old word for fox altogether — which is why French says renard today. The name itself means 'brave counsel' (said 'RAY-nard').
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Reynard — Germanic Reginhard, 'brave counsel'; the fox of the Roman de Renart

Variations

RenardReinhardRaynard

Nicknames

ReyNardo

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Reynard…

Renard— the French spelling of the same name
Bernard— a like Germanic -ard classic
Leonard— a same-shape old French-Germanic pick
Howard— another Germanic name
Edouard— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Reynard

By themeclassicfrenchgermanicliterary
By meaningStrengthBrave / CourageSnow / Winter

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Reynard mean?

Reynard means 'brave counsel', from the Germanic Reginhard. It is also the name of the trickster fox in medieval fable.

How do you pronounce Reynard?

It's said RAY-nard /ˈreɪ.nɑːrd/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Reynard a boy or girl name?

Reynard is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Reynard?

Reynard is a rare name for boys in the U.S.

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