&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:William,_Lord_Russell,_by_Gerard_Soest.jpg) William Russell, Lord Russell (1639-1683) inspired a number of namesakes. | |
| Gender | Masculine |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | English |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | Redhead |
| Other names | |
| Short form(s) | Russ, Rusty |
Russell is a given name that originated from the surname Russell, which in turn derives from the French name russel (Old Norse rossel) "red-haired, from rus (Old Norse ros) "red hair color" and the suffix -el.[1] The name came into greater use in England as a first name in honor of William Russell, Lord Russell following his execution for treason in 1683. Supporters who believed his trial was unjust named their sons in his honor. Some American patriots considered Lord Russell a victim of a tyrannical British monarchy and a "martyr for liberty" and also named sons after him. Russell was the 197th most popular name for newborn boys in the United States in 1880 and reached the height of its popularity in 1914 when it was the 49th most popular name for American boys. It has remained in regular use in the Anglosphere throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Russell might be shortened to Russ or Rusty, which is a modern English hypocorism for a boy with red hair as well as a nickname for Russell.[2]
Notable people with the name include:
- ^ Cottle, Basil (1967), "Russell", Penguin Dictionary of Surnames, Baltimore: Penguin Books
- ^ Evans, Cleveland Kent (7 April 2024). "Evans: Russell is a surname that became a common first name". omaha.com. Omaha World Herald. Retrieved 8 April 2024.