Berthold

Berthold is a Germanic given name composed of the elements beraht, meaning bright or famous, and wald, meaning rule or power, giving the overall sense of bright ruler or famous power. It was common throughout the medieval German-speaking world and was borne by several notable figures, including the thirteenth-century Franciscan friar and preacher Berthold of Regensburg, renowned for his oratory. The name belongs to a broader family of Germanic beraht-compounds, with related forms including Bertold, Bertoldo in Italian, and the shortened form Berto.