Rurik

History and legend intertwine in Rurik, a Russian masculine title. Once borne by a Viking prince who established a kingdom at Novgorod, Rurik traces its roots back to the 9th century. Though some of Prince Rurik's story has come from legend and myth, his existence as a founder of the Rurik dynasty has been confirmed by historians. Rurik itself is a Russian variant of Hrǿríkr, the Old Norse form of Roderick. Its meanings, "praised ruler" and "famous ruler," speak to the renown of its first bearer. If Viking and early Russian history are some of your favorite topics, you might agree with The Bump community member strawberrytree that Rurik is a "double whammy."