Rowland

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine given name of English origin that is also used as a surname, derived from Germanic elements meaning fame and land
2. A male first name of Germanic origin that also appears as a family name in English-speaking countries
3. Used as a masculine personal name or family surname, borne by various people throughout English-speaking history

Etymology: The noun comes from a personal name. "Rowland" is an English form of the Old French "Roland," which descends from a Germanic name built from elements meaning roughly "fame" and "land." The name was common in medieval Europe, and its best-known bearer was Roland, a paladin of Charlemagne. The word survives mainly in the phrase "Rowland for Oliver," meaning an exchange of blow for blow or a retort matching an insult. It pairs Roland with Oliver, his companion in the medieval French romances about Charlemagne's knights. In those tales the two were so evenly matched that neither could gain the upper hand, so each gave as good as he got.